AUBURN — On May 9, third- and fourth-grade students at Sherwood Heights School participated in a workshop with Cindy Larock, a master folk dancer who specializes in traditional French Canadian step dancing.

Step dancing takes many forms, several of which were discussed and demonstrated, including la gigue and social dancing such as contre danse and quadrille. Larock studied for many years with master French Canadian step dancer Benoit Bourque of Quebec. Now an accomplished dancer in her own right, Cindy is also a great cultural advocate, eager to pass these important dance traditions down to younger members of Maine’s Franco-American community.

Maine French Heritage Language Program is a partial immersion French language and cultural experience program for elementary students. Through the promotion and teaching of French and francophone cultures, and more precisely of Maine’s Franco-American cultural and linguistic heritage, the program uniquely aims at bridging the gap between generations, offering the younger the possibility to access, maintain and transmit this cultural and linguistic heritage.

The classes are taught by instructor, Doris Belisle-Bonneau, Cultural Associate Bernadette Morin and Bates College student apprentices.