WILTON – The Old Grey Goose will play for an evening of traditional New England contradancing Saturday, March 10, at the Wilson Grange. Old Grey Goose members have been playing for dances in Grange halls and town halls around Maine and at other venues since the 1970s, continuing a tradition of social dancing that evolved from dances brought by white settlers from France and the British Isles to the New World.

The music consists of lively tunes from French, English and Celtic traditions played on fiddle, accordion, guitar and other instruments.

The Old Grey Goose recently participated in musical cultural exchanges around the globe, including Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa – bringing their adventures back home in the form of multimedia performances of music and dance.

Contradancing is beginner-friendly because most dances are taught before they are danced, and a caller actively prompts dancers. It is not necessary to bring a partner to participate because the tradition is to dance with several partners over the course of an evening. Typically easier dances are programmed earlier in the evening, so newcomers can build on what they learn as the dancing goes on.

Besides the regular program of contradancing from 8 to 11 p.m. there will be a workshop at 7 p.m. to learn the Scandinavian Hambo. The workshop will be led by Sandy River and Alan Ross. Admission to the workshop: free; admission to the dance: $6, with a $15 family maximum.

The Wilson Grange is the new winter home for the Farmington Contradance series, held during the rest of the year at the Farmington Grange on Bridge Street in West Farmington the second Saturday of each month. For more information, visit www.starleft.org/dance; or call 397-2241.