By Kevin Brown EAGLE TIMES STAFF
Updated
CLAREMONT — The Claremont Senior Center comes alive every Thursday night with the sounds of country, pop and Latin music, along with the rhythmic steps of line dancers – both past veterans and learners – for Line Dance Night with Conrad.
The dance is hosted by Claremont resident Conrad Farnham under his company name, Copperhead Line Dancing. The dances begin at 7 p.m. in the Owens Room at the center, 5 Acer Heights Road. Cost is $15 per person or $5 for senior center members and children aged 12 and under.
He also hosted a Pizza Party Dance Night on April 8 that was open to all ages.
1, Have fun.
2. Learn to dance.
3. If you don’t learn a dance, return to Rule #1.
He said the average class size is about 50 people. On April 6, there were dancers as young as 12 up to retirees. He has also taught and performed in area communities such as Keene, NH; Chelsea, VT; and White River Junction, VT.
The dances are promoted by word of mouth and through Facebook posts. There is no limit to his class sizes, and all classes include up to two hours of instruction. He is helped at the events by his friends Craig Certner and Sarah Coulter, both of Claremont.
One new line dancer at the April 6 event was Rita Quintey, Claremont. She was all smiles in the back row of the group, doing her best to pick up the line dancing steps that Farnham was demonstrating.
“It’s fun, fun, fun,” Quintey said. “I will be back.”
Tyler Sullivan, 21, of Newport, was a natural on the dance floor. He said he has been dancing with Farnham for about seven years.
“I know a lot of the dances Conrad does, it’s great fun,” Sullivan said. “I love to help the beginners so that they have a great time, too.”
The energy Farnham brings to the dance floor is infectious, and he said he wants everyone to feel like he is their personal instructor.
“I want people to know that they matter and that I appreciate them,” he said. “Dancing has always been a part of my life. When I can share my love of dance and my choreography with others, it is the best part of my life.”
Farnham’s full-time job is at the Arts and Sciences Finance Center at Dartmouth College, Hanover. Line dancing is a part-time hobby and passion, he said. It has become an endeavor that has earned him both national and international honors.
He was nominated in 2019 by the Line Dance Association for its Hall of Fame Awards in two international categories: Choreography Beginner for “You Make Me Want to Sway” to Danielle Bradbery’s “Sway” and Country Choreography for “Born to be Great” to Kenny Chesney’s “Some Town, Somewhere.”
Farnham is available for corporate, private, and group events. He also provides instruction for school functions and has choreographed dances for couples on their wedding day.
You may contact him at 603-558-2380 or visit his website at https://copperheadlinedancing.com/home. The site lists upcoming events in the Upper Valley as well as dance videos and step sheets.