MOUNTAIN TOWN MUSEUMS

Michael says. A waltz is also occasionally thrown into the mix. It’s all good exercise, she says.

English Country Dances sometimes spur people to make costumes — apparel typical of the era. After attending her first English country dance, Eicher decided to sew a dress and added gloves and a headpiece with flowers. A friend hired someone to make herself a dress, too. “We felt like we were acting,” Eicher said. “I discovered I liked acting.”

For the International Folk Dances — the next one is scheduled for December 14 — the band has learned songs from Israel, Croatia, Bulgaria, French Canada, Ireland, Bolivia and China. “We’re having so much fun with this,” Michael says. A world map is pinned to a wall in the ballroom, with pins marking countries whose music the band has performed. “We will keep adding to it,” Michael says.

While children younger than 10 would find most of the dances challenging, a family dance scheduled for January 6 at 5 p.m. is perfect for families with youngsters. Parents are encouraged to bring their younger children to these events. For a schedule of

Contra dancing is dances in 2020, visit fifthreelmusicanddance.com. extremely popular in New England, where it originated in the United States, and is also common in the Pacific Northwest and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Eicher, who plays piano, has been asked to sit in with the band on occasion — although, these days, she declines. “I’d rather dance,” she says. :

COURTESY ASPEN ART MUSEUM / DEREK SKALKO

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE MOUNTAIN TOWN MUSEUMS

Words by Kristen Lummis

Great museums tell compelling stories, wrapping visitors into their worlds and immersing them in the broad topics of history, art, culture and science. When a museum is done well, visitors emerge with lasting links to the information and the experience.

While you may think that only cities have great museums, Colorado’s mountain towns offer four institutions that are leaders in their fields, with influence ranging from local to international.

ASPEN ART MUSEUM > Aspen

Even if you don’t think of yourself as an “art museum person,” the Aspen Art Museum (AAM) is worth your time.

With no admission charge (thanks to a gift from John and Amy Phelan), there is no barrier to experiencing contemporary art in Aspen.

Housed in an airy, multi-story building sheathed in woven wood, the distinctive museum isn’t large. It features just six galleries, a black box theater, a gift shop and a rooftop cafe and deck. But it is important as the only accredited art museum on Colorado’s Western Slope.

The Aspen Art Museum does not have a permanent collection. Exhibits rotate frequently and incorporate a diverse range of media and taste.

“If you don’t see or experience something that captures your attention, come back again. There is always something new to see or do,” encourages Jeff Murcko, AAM communications director.

In addition to providing on-site exposure to the arts, AAM plays an important community role, collaborating with regional school districts and nonprofits to bring art to populations that otherwise might not have access.

COURTESY ASPEN ART MUSEUM STUDIO DUBUISSON