Heikinpäivä dance to be held in Lake Linden Jan. 27

LAKE LINDEN -- The Heikinpäivä dance will be held at 7 p.m. with dance lessons beginning at 6:30 p.m., on Friday, Jan. 27, in the Little Gem Theater, 700 Calumet St., Lake Linden.

The Thimbleberry Band performs dance music at a December 2011 dance in Chassell. This Friday, Jan. 27, they will be joined by Pasi Lautala and other guests for the Heikinpäivä dance at the Little Gem Theater in Lake Linden. Pictured here, from left, are Coleman Segal, Dave Bezotte, Oren Tikkanen, Libby Meyer and Matt Durocher. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Music will be by the Thimbleberry Band with guest singers Carol Pärssinen and Pasi Lautala -- and Pasi will be squeezing his accordion as well. Other guest musicians include "the Doctors of Music": Anna Gawboy (concertina) and Libby Meyer (violin).

"A wonderful evening of classic Finnish dance music is on the playlist," says musician Oren Tikkanen. "Viola Turpeinen polkas, Toivo Kärki tangos, Georg Malmstén humppas, traditional waltzes, mazurkas, shottisches, and more. This is the only dance for Heikinpäivä this year, so make sure you bring your dancing slippers to Lake Linden on Friday."

Cover Charge: Singles $6. Couples $10. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission will be paid at the door. The Little Gem Theater is downstairs in the old school building across from the high school on the main street in Lake Linden.

From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eero and Rosann Angeli will be giving dance lessons on the third floor. They will be teaching the mazurkka, hambo, and the raatikko (the folk dance version). More dance lessons will also be taught by Chuck Hill, the organizer of the event. Snacks from Carmelita's will be available.

The Thimbleberry Band is Dave Bezotte, piano; Coleman Segal, mandolin; Matt Durocher, bass; and Oren Tikkanen, banjo and guitar.