Community Contra Dance in Williamstown

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The North Berkshire Contra Dance will hold its monthly community contra dance on Saturday, Dec. 14, with live fiddle music, and all dances taught by caller Maggie McRae.
 
Contra dancing is contemporary based in a living tradition; some of the dances are hundreds of years old, some are recently composed, all are an enjoyable social activity on a cold winter's evening. New dancers and families with children are encouraged to arrive by 7:30 for instruction in the basics.
 
Maggie McRae will call (teach) all the dances. Music will be provided by three out of Four Musicians Walked into Thirty-Two Bars, a band of life-long musicans who enjoy playing traditional New England tunes. The three musicians are George Wilson and Rebeccah Weiss on fiddle, with Becky Hollingsworth on piano.
 
The dance will run 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, 906 Main St., Williamstown. Admission is pay-as-you-can, $12 - $20 suggested, and barter (especially help with cleanup) is also welcome.  Visit www.NorthBerkshireDance.org for more information.
 
Covid Policy: Stay home if you feel ill or have cold symptoms.  Masks appreciated but not required. Be aware that contradance isn't made to social distance, as whoever your partner, you'll wind up dancing with everyone in the room. You may wish to bring a spare mask to change into for comfort throughout the evening.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

WCMA Announces Closure of Upper Galleries

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) will close its upper galleries as it prepares for a new purpose-built facility. The closure marks the end of nearly a century of exhibitions in Lawrence Hall, which has undergone multiple renovations and additions over the years.
 
To commemorate this transition, WCMA will host "Last Chance Glance" events on the following dates: Wednesday, Dec. 11, 3-5 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 12, noon-2 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2-4 p.m.; and Thursday, Dec. 20, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Visitors can view the current exhibitions, including "Teddy Sandoval and the Butch Gardens School of Art," "Pallavi Sen: Colour Theory," "SO–IL \ WCMA: Building A New Museum," "Cracking the Cosmic Code: Numerology in Medieval Art," and "Remixing the Hall."
 
The events will also feature light refreshments, opportunities to talk with staff, and slideshows showcasing the history of the museum's galleries.
 
WCMA is open daily through Sunday, Dec. 22, with holiday hours listed on its website. The museum will reopen on Jan. 6 with a limited footprint featuring "Object Lab," an interdisciplinary exhibit that highlights selections from the collection. Updated visitor hours and programming information are available at artmuseum.williams.edu.
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