Author: Michael Witthaus

Annual comedy festival brings together 31 local comedians for six days of laughs

Since it began in 2010, two constants have endured at the annual Hampton Beach Comedy Festival. Every night, two comedians contributed to the festivities: Jimmy Dunn, who created the six-night laugh fest as an excuse to have his friends come, hang out, eat barbecue and tell jokes; and ace booker Dave Rattigan.

This year, however, Dunn won’t be at the festival, because of a dream gig he did Aug. 1. Along with Jimmy Cash he co-headlined Casino Ballroom, a hometown venue where he’d once stood outside as a teenager, too young to get in, listening to legends like Richard Pryor and imagining a career of his own in comedy. So while its founder basks in the afterglow, the festival will carry on. Rattigan, for his part, anticipates a great time, with a few new faces appearing and a solid return lineup. His certainty is rooted as much in the mojo of the event as it is in the talent appearing at McGuirk’s Ocean View.

“Yes, there are great comedians and it’s a great lineup, but also just the vibe of the place is unlike any show I’ve been on,” he said recently. “There’s a really good connection between the audience and the comedians, and all of the comedians who come up want to come next year, and the next year, and the next year.”

Rattigan is looking forward to audiences seeing Tyler Hittner, a mobility-challenged comic who uses a walker.

“He’s incredibly likable, and really funny,” he said. “He uses his disadvantage to his advantage by making it funny, by including everybody in the joke. He laughs at the challenge, and we laugh with him.”

Kristy Kielbasinski, who was a late addition to last year’s festival, will host on Aug. 17. “She had these high heels,” Rattigan recalled. “It’s an outdoor event and she had to get up the steps at night. I kept thinking, I hope she doesn’t get one of those heels caught in the grooves between the planks on the stage. She didn’t, and had a great set.”

First-timer Jim Ruberti is another comic to be excited about. “He hosts a lot for me down the Cape,” Rattigan said, something he’ll do on Aug. 14. “We’re trying to put really good hosts on … they won’t be Jimmy, but they’ll be good. Jim Ruberti’s a really funny guy and a great host.”

Hampton Beach Comedy Festival
When: Tuesday, Aug. 12, through Sunday, Aug. 17, 8 p.m.
Where: McGuirk’s Ocean View Hotel, 95 Ocean Blvd., Hampton
Tickets: $23.18 per show at Eventbrite.com

Tuesday, Aug. 12
Jeff Koen hosts
Paul Gilligan, Will Noonan, Karen Morgan, Dave Rattigan, Ken Rogerson
Wednesday, Aug. 13
Brian Glowacki hosts
Carolyn Plummer, Nick ‘’Fitzy’’ Stevens, Dave Rattigan, Steve Scarfo, Jim Colliton
Thursday, Aug. 14
Jim Ruberti hosts
Kelly MacFarland, Mike Donovan, Paul D’Angelo, Paul Nardizzi, Dave Rattigan
Friday, Aug. 15
Steve Bjork hosts
Nick Gordon, Courtney Cronin, Mitch Stinson, Dave Rattigan, PJ Thibodeau
Saturday, Aug. 16
Jody Sloane hosts
Tony V, Dan Miller, Dave Rattigan, Tyler Hittner, Ryan Gartley
Sunday, Aug 17
Kristy Kielbasinski hosts
Dave Rattigan, Andrew Della Volpe, Ryan Ellington, Jason Merrill, Frank Santorelli of The Sopranos

Festival performers

Can’t catch them at the Festival? Many of these performers also have shows scheduled locally in the coming months.

• Steve Bjork (Friday, Aug. 15) is one of Boston’s best observational humorists and a big fan of his home base. He is known for his clean and funny style.

• Jim Colliton (Wednesday, Aug. 13) Married and raising three kids in the Boston suburbs, Jim keeps his comedy focused on dad life. Along with fellow comic Karen Morgan, he performs the theater show Lawn & Order. His DryBar Comedy special is “Please, Take the Lunch!”

• Paul D’Angelo (Thursday, Aug. 14) An ex-assistant district attorney and criminal-defense trial lawyer, D’Angelo is a fixture in A-list comedy clubs with nearly four decades of standup under his belt.

• Andrew Della Volpe (Sunday, Aug. 17) has appeared at Boston’s Comedy Attic as well as Manchester’s Shaskeen Pub and the Rex Theatre. From 2021 to 2023 he co-hosted a podcast, The Soft Boys, with HBCF favorite Will Noonan. Catch him Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Brook Showroom in Seabrook.

• Mike Donovan (Thursday, Aug. 14) is a mainstay in the Boston comedy world who’s also written several books, including one on U.S. history. “He’s not a normal guy, his head is not a casual head,” Steven Wright once said of Donovan. “He’s got like 18 Harvards up there.”

• Ryan Ellington (Sunday, Aug. 17) The new kid at last year’s festival, Ellington has a white mother and a Black dad, and he’s pale with curly red hair. He wins crowds with lines like, “I don’t look biracial, I look like I have a very complicated order at Starbucks.”

• Ryan Gartley (Saturday, Aug. 16) Gartley’s comedic style is characterized by quick, critical observations and dry, family-friendly humor. He’s appeared from Las Vegas to New York to Bangor, Maine.

• Paul Gilligan (Tuesday, Aug. 12) , aperennial Boston headliner, likes to riff on family life and his pale Irish heritage. “On summer vacations,” goes one joke, “I hide under the deck in a ski mask with 68 sunblock, wrapped in a towel.”

• Brian Glowacki (Wednesday, Aug. 13) has a secret weapon: a face that telegraphs mischief. When he pauses with a sly smirk during a joke setup, it’s like watching a Mento dropped into a bottle of Coke; audience laughter builds, then explodes.

• Nick Gordon (Friday, Aug. 15) has performed at Nick’s Comedy Stop in Boston, as well as the Vermont, the Bricks and Bridges and the Portland, Maine, comedy festivals. He’s a founding member and frequent performer at the Great Falls Comedy Club in Lewiston, Maine.

• Tyler Hittner (Saturday, Aug. 16) Suffering from viral meningitis and relying on a walker has never stopped the Rhode Island-based comic from lighting up stages. His charisma, charm and likability allow him to connect with all types of audiences.

• Kristy Kielbasinski (Sunday, Aug. 17)“Worcester’s Funniest Mom” draws from her life as a stay-at-home parent — she even wrote a children’s book. Her humor, she said a few years back, “is based on an exaggerated version of a desperate housewife who’s sick of her kids, sick of her husband, and it’s a little dark and twisted.”

• Jeff Koen (Tuesday, Aug. 12) regularly supports Juston McKinney at his shows, and performs throughout New England. Koen’s self-deprecating humor lands well with audiences. He had the role of Uncle Rick in the 2011 cult film Heavy Times.

• ​Kelly MacFarland (Thursday, Aug. 14) She’s opened for Kathleen Madigan on several occasions and launched the all-female Mother of a Comedy Show with Kerri Louise and Christine Hurley.

• Jason Merrill (Sunday, Aug. 17), a native of Lawrence, Mass., became a comedian at age 41. Getting on the bill at a few of Dave Rattigan’s Scamps shows accelerated his rise, and now he’s a regional favorite, with an act described as “one part Saturday-morning cartoon character and one part pro-wrestler.”

• Dan Miller (Saturday, Aug. 16) Boston native Miller was “born a comedian but made it official in 1992.” He’s shared stages with local and national headliners like Lenny Clarke, Dane Cook and Dave Attell.

• Karen Morgan (Tuesday, Aug. 12) is a former trial attorney who got her start as a finalist on Nickelodeon’s Search for the Funniest Mom in America. She has two Dry Bar Comedy specials and frequently can be heard on SiriusXM Radio.

• Graig Murphy (Friday, Aug. 15) began in comedy using his impressions of sports and television personalities but has now grown into a national headliner with a quick-witted act of everyday humor.

• Paul Nardizzi (Thursday, Aug. 14) A winner of the Boston Comedy Festival, Nardizzi has appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central, NESN and on Fox Sports’ Best Damn Sports Show Period. He offers observational humor about his family life, sports and more.

• Will Noonan (Tuesday, Aug. 12) Noonan, whose Live In Boston YouTube special dropped in 2024, made an impression on festival organizer Dunn at his initial HBCF appearance, and now he’s a regular. “The first time Will came up, he was wearing a suit,” Dunn recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh, I like this kid’s style already.’”

• Carolyn Plummer (Wednesday, Aug. 13) appeared at Denis Leary’s annual Comics Come Home benefit in 2022. A New Hampshire native — she grew up in Wolfeboro, a minister’s daughter — Plummer got into comedy after responding to an ad.

• Dave Rattigan (all nights) “He looks like a cross between a semi-hip banker and your mild-mannered father-in-law,” blogger Ralph Fatello once said.

• Ken Rogerson (Tuesday, Aug. 12) is a veteran of Rescue Me as well as When Standup Stood Out, a great documentary about Boston’s comedy heyday in the early ’80s. He’s a favorite of Dunn’s, who said, “I legitimately find him one of the funniest people on the planet…”

• Jim Ruberti (Thursday, Aug. 14) has appeared with headliners such as Lenny Clarke, Steve Sweeney, Paul Nardizzi, Mike McDonald, Dave Rattigan and Steve Bjork.

• Frank Santorelli (Sunday, Aug. 17) Best-known for playing the recurring role of “Georgie the Bartender” in The Sopranos and acting in numerous movies, including No Reservations, Meet the Parents and Crooked Lines.

• Steve Scarfo (Wednesday, Aug. 13) came up in the Boston club scene and once took part in a funny mashup of Survivor and Last Comic Standing that still gets YouTube hits. He started doing standup almost 30 years ago and was noticed by The Boston Globe on his first performance.

• Jody Sloane (Saturday, Aug. 16) is a regular at Headliners throughout New England, Gotham Comedy Club in New York City, Nick’s Comedy Stop, plus roadhouses, Elks Clubs and dives from Portland to New York.

• Nick “Fitzy” Stevens (Wednesday, Aug. 13) Well-known for his drive-time show on WEEI Sports Radio in Boston, Stevens’ passion for his teams, comedy and seeking the approval of strangers led him to create an alter ego named, Fitzy, a satire of and love letter to the foul-mouthed fans he attended Boston sports with growing up.

• Mitch Stinson (Friday, Aug. 15) Ex-Navy jet pilot with more than 200 carrier landings during his career, he’s now a comedian. He appears at venues all over New England.

• P.J. Thibodeau (Friday, Aug. 15) Rhode Island-based comedian known for quick wit, blue-collar charm and sharp observational humor.

•Tony V. (Saturday, Aug. 16) A national headliner who’s appeared on late night television and shared the stage with everyone from Steven Wright to Adam Sandler, he’s a Boston comedy legend, and also Jimmy Dunn’s best friend. Catch him Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Brook Showroom in Seabrook.

Season of laughs

Where to find inland comedy

Thursday, Aug. 7
R-Rated Hypnotist Frank Santos Jr. LaBelle Derry, labellewinery.com

Friday, Aug. 8
Jerry Seinfeld at BankNH Pavilion in Gilford, banknhpavilion.com)
Brad Williams (2 shows) at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com

Saturday, Aug. 9
Steve Sweeney & Friends at Beans & Greens in Gilford beansandgreensfarm.com

Saturday, Aug. 16
Vic DiBitetto at Nashua Center for the Arts in Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com

Friday, Aug. 22
Tom Cotter at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Jody Sloane, Rob Steen & Greg Boggis at Peterborough Community Theatre, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Aug. 23
Ken Rogerson & Friends at Averill House in Brookline, averillhousevineyard.com
Jody Sloane at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Sept. 6
Steve Hofstetter at Rex Theatre in Manchester, palacetheatre.org

Saturday, Sept. 13
Matt Berry at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Bob Marley (2 shows) at Flying Monkey in Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com
Tim McKeever at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Queen City Improv at Rex Theatre in Manchester, palacetheatre.org

Wednesday, Sept. 17
Jody Sloane, Pat Napoli, Rob Steen at Stark Brewing (500 Commercial St., Manchester, headlinersnh.com)

Friday, Sept. 19
Nurse Blake at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com
Piff the Magic Dragon at Nashua Center for the Arts, nashuacenterforthearts.com

Saturday, Sept. 20
Lenny Clarke & Tim McKeever at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Mark Scalia at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com

Friday, Sept. 26
Matt Friend at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com
Peter Lui & Rob Steen at Liquid Therapy in Nashua, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Sept. 27
Stand Up Dads – Mike Koutrobis & Steve Bjork at Averill House in Brookline, averillhousevineyard.com
Kevin James (2 shows) at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com
Funny Women of a Certain Age w/ Carole Montgomery, Leighann Lord and Julia Scotti at Flying Monkey in Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com
James Dorsey at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Kerri Louise, Christine Hurley, Kathe Ferris at Rex Theatre in Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Mark Riley at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Oct. 4
Jimmy Cash at Flying Monkey in Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com
Mark Riccadonna at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Oct. 11
Steve Bjork at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Jody Sloane at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Friday, Oct. 17
John Cleese of Monty Python at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com

Saturday, Oct. 18
Frank Santorelli at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Juston McKinney (2 shows) at Palace Theatre in Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Mark Scalia at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Christopher Titus at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry, tupelohall.com

Friday, Oct. 24
Tim McKeever & Pat Napoli at Liquid Therapy in Nashua, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Oct. 25
Brian Beaudion at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Joey Carroll at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Emily Ruskowski & guest comedians at Averill House in Brookline, averillhousevineyard.com

Thursday, Oct. 30
Craig Ferguson at Nashua Center for the Arts, nashuacenterforthearts.com

Friday, Oct. 31
Tim Hayes/Teddy Smith at the Rex in Manchester, palacetheatre.org

Saturday, Nov. 1
Steve Bjork at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Nov. 8
Bob Marley at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com
Will Noonan at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Nov. 15
Frank Santorelli at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Friday, Nov. 21
Matt Berry & Shawn Ruiz at Liquid Therapy in Nashua, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Nov. 22
Joe Carroll at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Nov. 29
Juston McKinney at Flying Monkey in Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com)
Carolyn Plummer at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Dec. 6
Jim Gaffigan at SNHU Arena in Manchester, snhuarena.com

Find community and a multi- genre playlist at line dancing
— beginners, sneakers and pop music fans welcome

Decades after “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and “Achy Breaky Heart” helped propel it into a national craze, line dancing is experiencing a renaissance, particularly in New England. From the Seacoast to the Lakes Region, in nightclubs, town halls and senior centers, across the spectrum of ages, the blend of choreography, fitness and just plain fun is back — but with a fresh soundtrack.

Go out to The Goat in Manchester, Bernie’s Beach Bar in Hampton or the Big House in Laconia, to name a fraction of venues offering weekly nights of line dancing, and it’s likely the crowded floors will be moving in time to Pitbull, Dasha or Eminem along with Keith Urban and Blake Shelton.

To put a finer point on it: This isn’t a country revival. It’s not even a rebranding, but an old thing repurposed for an entire genre of music that heretofore did not know it existed. It’s fueled in no small part by a generation with a preference for comfortable shoes over cowboy boots.

Cathy Garland teaches all over New England. She was around for the line dancing’s first wave, watched it ebb and relished its return, She has a theory about its current resurgence.

“I’m gonna honestly say that social media probably plays the biggest role,” she said. “I know there are the classic line dance instructors who have been hardcore for 50-60 years. The last thing they want to see is a young person doing a line dance on TikTok and maybe adding their own flair or changing the choreography a little bit. But for me that can only help.”

The new blood keeps Garland agile when she hosts a dance.

“On any given night, I might think I’m gonna play ABCD, and then I look at the crowd and I’m like, ‘nope, we’re switching it up,’” she said. “I love the fact that I can take a large group of people and have them move together as one, and make it fun and entertaining.”

There are a lot of great things about line dancing. For starters, it’s a way to be active for all ages. Gail Eaton teaches at senior centers in Nashua, Pelham and Hudson to students age 50 and up. “Most of them are in their 60s, 70s, and I have several in their 80s,” she said. “I have one that’s turning 90 this year.”

Jennifer Hanson is the owner of Dance The Line and teaches several classes on the Seacoast.

“One of my oldest students is turning 90 this year,” Hanson said, “I always ask her what’s her key, and she says, ‘Don’t stop moving.’ She’s like, ‘If I stop, you know what’s going to happen? I don’t want to talk about it.’”

It’s also a great tool for easing everyday struggles. Kathleen Crocker first tried line dancing to momentarily forget about her job as a high school principal, in 2012. Crocker now runs 603 Line Dance with Kim Murray Carpentino. The organization holds events at Bonfire and The Goat in Manchester, Tuscan Village in Salem, Lakeport Opera House in Laconia, and a few Seacoast spots.

“I needed an outlet where I could forget about my day, and line dancing did that for me, because you can’t do it and think about your troubles — you have to think about what you’re doing,” she said. “Everybody gets drawn to it for different reasons. Some are lonely and need something different, some are feeling sick or sad … some come as a couple. People have met and gotten married because they found each other on the dance floor.”

The absolute best thing about line dancing, however, is that it’s very easy to learn and welcomes newcomers. If you can’t figure out the steps to one song, wait for another. Gail Eaton, who runs On The Dance Floor, has a YouTube video for what she calls Absolute Beginners that covers the basics.

“They need to know a grapevine, something called a rocking chair, a jazz box, a Charleston kick,” she said. “I teach in sections of eight. So we have a 32-count dance. It’s broken down into four sections of eight counts. If you know how to walk, you know how to count to eight.”

Equally important is what not to know. Ginger Kozlowski started line dancing in 1995 and began teaching five years later. She now holds classes in Bedford, at the Old Town Hall. She almost didn’t attend that first dance, worried that it was some ‘yee-haw’ affair, but got hooked when “I’m Too Sexy” was the first song played. She doesn’t want others to make that mistake.

“What drives me nuts about line dancing is that people have this hokey stereotype about it,” she said, “Some people wear boots and cowboy hats, including me at times. But most just wear sneakers, jeans, T-shirts [and] we dance to all kinds of music, including country, pop, rock, Irish, waltzes, you name it. There’s a wide range of skill levels, from simple walking and stomping patterns to complicated routines that take a lot of practice.”

A great website to look at the many line dances created over the years is copperknob.co.uk. It offers detailed steps from easy to hard and includes profiles of choreographers — some of whom are contributors to this story. If you want to see how complex The Sphinx dance is, for example, this is the place.

Right now the Seacoast is a jumping spot for line dancing enthusiasts. Michelle Jackson-White runs three different gatherings every week, all summer long. On Mondays at Bernie’s Beach Bar in Hampton Beach she leads Country Nights, and on Thursdays she’s at the more family-friendly Seashell Stage. Tuesdays, the action happens across the border at Surfside on Salisbury Beach.

Each dance is different. Monday’s crowd is varied and often includes people who need help with dancing. That’s something readily provided at pretty much every line dance. At a given moment, she’ll call the curious to the center of the room to demonstrate an easy set of moves.

This is not for the seasoned steppers, she explained. “Dancer-dancers can do them with their eyes closed, but this is for somebody brand new that doesn’t dance. So several times throughout the night I’ll say, OK, after this, a micro-lesson. People are hanging around, it’s a good party vibe, that’s the thing.”

The Tuesday event in Salisbury is also taught by 603 Line Dance’s Kathleen Crocker and “is more like a social night,” Jackson-White observed, with lots of open dancing and couples pairing off along with line dancing. “There’s so many people. Then Thursday is, for me personally, more business and professional.”

Music, as the Bernie’s night’s title suggests, includes more than a little country, but every instructor says that being flexible with the playlist is crucial given the diversity of the ever-growing audience. Crocker, for her part, believes this is much easier than most people might think.

“We can put dances to multiple different songs, depending upon the beat and how the dance works,” she said. “Initially, every dance is choreographed with a particular song in mind, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done to a different song, depending upon the steps and the beat of the music. There are dances that can go to a hundred different songs out there.”

Anyway, if tossing the ten-gallon hat and the pure country tune for Eminem or Nickelback inspires a ballcap wearing twentysomething to become a new convert, it’s worth it. Everyone’s welcome, all genres are played, and anything can happen at these happy get-togethers.

All that’s asked is for folks to jump in line and smile.

“The dance floor is your happy place,” Jennifer Hanson insists. “It’s a community. We call it our dance family because we’re together more than we see our own family sometimes, as much as you like to dance. It’s the happy place where you get to meet other people and exercise and forget about everything else that’s going on in the world. You can just focus on the music, and the dance, and it’s … just a happy place.”

Where to line dance

If you’re looking for a line dance, first check out the calendar hosted by Ginger Kozlowski at bit.ly/4jwZncR, which is growing daily. Here are several recurring events and few one-offs, including dates, times, cost and level of difficulty. Most if not all welcome absolute beginners.

Old Town Hall, 10 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford
Host: Ginger Kozlowski
Price: $7-$10
Level: All
When: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (begins September), 7 p.m.

Broadway North Dance Studio, 217 DW Highway, Belmont, 524-6225
Host: Sue
Price: $90 per person for 10
Level: Beginner
When: Mondays 6:45-8:15 p.m.

Bow Community Building, 3 Bow Center Road, Bow
Host: Michele Vecchione
Price: $61 for 8 classes for residents, $65 non-Bow residents
Level: Absolute Beginner, Beginner, Improver
When: Mondays Beginner & Wednesday Improver

Brookline Event Center, 32 Proctor Hill Road, Brookline (673-4474)
Host: Bernie Barrette
Price: $5 Beginner, $6 Beyond
Level: Beginner, Improver
When: Mondays 6-8:30 p.m.

Line Dance Classes, 8 Raymond Road, Deerfield (463-8811, ext. 305)
Host: Joe Manzi
Price: $4
Level: All
When: Wednesdays 6 p.m.

Upper Village Hall, 52 East Derry Road, Derry (396-0753)
Host: Linda Alfonsi & Mark Sandland
Price: $10 per person
Level: All
When: Thursdays 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Dover Elks, 282 Durham Road, Dover (782-4949)
Host: Gail Eaton
Price: $15, no outside drinks, bar will be open
Level: Partner Dance Event
When: Aug. 1, Sept. 19, Oct. 17, Nov. 21 and Dec. 19, 7-10:30 p.m.

Dover Elks, 282 Durham Road, Dover (502-5917)
Host: Dance The Line
Price: $10, cash only
Level: All
When: Mondays, 6-7:30 p.m. Beginner & 7:30-9 p.m. Intermediate

Epping American Legion, 232 Route 125, Epping (782-4949)
Host: Gail Eaton
Price: $10 for the night
Level: Beginner, Improver & Intermediate
When: Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m. Beginner, 7-9 p.m. Improver/Intermediate

Francestown Town Hall, 2 New Boston Road, Francestown (562-8910)
Host: Dorene Adams
Price: $5
Level: Absolute Beginner, Beginner
When: Tuesdays 7 p.m.

Bernie’s Beach Bar, 73 Ocean Blvd., Hampton (nashvillelinedance.com)
Host: Nashville Line Dance
Price: Free
Level: All
When: Mondays 7-11 p.m.

Seashell Stage, 180 Ocean Blvd., Hampton (nashvillelinedance.com)
Host: Nashville Line Dance
Price: Free
Level: All
When: Thursdays 6-7 p.m.

Where: Loyal Order of Moose Lodge, 15 School St., Hillsborough (562-8910)
Host: Dorene Adams
Price: $5
Level: Absolute Beginner, Ultra Beginner, Beginner
When: Mondays 7 p.m.

Where: Hudson Senior Center, 19 Kimball Hall Road, Hudson (782-4949)
Host: Gail Eaton
Price: $5 members, $7 non-members
Level: Beginner, Intermediate
When: Thursdays, 9-10 a.m. Beginner, 10-11:30 a.m. Intermediate

Where: Saddle Up Saloon, 92 Route 125, Kingston (347-1313)
Host: Linda Alfonsi
Price: $15 per person
Level: Absolute Beginner, Ultra Beginner, Beginner, Improver
When: Tuesday 7-9 p.m.

Where: Lakeport Opera House, 781 Union Ave., Laconia (603linedance.com)
Host: 603 Line Dance
Price: $15 at the door or Venmo
Level: All
When: Sunday, Aug, 24, 7-10:30 p.m.

Where: The Big House, 322 Lakeside Ave., Laconia (granitestatestomp.com)
Host: Granite State Stomp
Price: Free
Level: All levels
When: Fridays, Aug. 1 & 15, 6-9 p.m., lessons at 7 p.m.

Where: Bonfire, 958 Elm St., Manchester (603linedance.com)
Host: 603 Line Dance
Price: Free
Level: 5 p.m. Advanced, 6 p.m. Beginner
When: Sundays 6 p.m.

Where: The Goat, 50 Old Granite St., Manchester (603linedance.com)
Host: 603 Line Dance
Price: Free
Level: All
When: Mondays & Wednesdays 7 p.m.

Where: Nashua Senior Center, 70 Temple St., Nashua (603-782-4949)
Host: Gail Eaton
Price: $5 members, $7 non-members
Level: Beginner
When: Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m. Beginners, 10-11:30 a.m. Intermediate

Where: Old Homestead Farm, 7159 Greenville Road, New Ipswich (603linedance.com)
Host: 603 Line Dance
Price: $15 at the door or Venmo
Level: All
When: Saturdays, Aug. 16, 7 p.m.

Where: Fox Run Dance Hall, 50 Fox Run Road, Newington (dancetheline.net)
Host: Dance The Line
Price: $10, cash only
Level: Beginner, Intermediate
When: Wednesdays, 6-7:30 p.m. Beginners, 7:30-9 p.m. Intermediates

Where: Rockingham Ballroom, 22 Ash Swamp Road, Newmarket (603linedance.com)
Host: 603 Line Dance
Price: $15 at the door or Venmo
Level: All
When: Friday, Aug. 8

Where: The Gathering Place, 1471 First NH Turnpike, Northwood (dancetheline.net)
Host: Dance The Line
Price: $10, cash only
Level: Beginner
When: Tuesdays 6-7:30 p.m.

Where: Hobbs Community Center, 8 Nashua Road, Pelham (603-782-4949)
Host: Gail Eaton
Price: $5
Level: Beginner
When: Mondays 1 p.m.

Where: George Maloof, 101 Fairgrounds Road, Plymouth (603-536-1179)
Host: George Maloof
Price: $5
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
When: 2nd & 4th Sundays only, 4-6:30 p.m.

Where: Eastside Tavern, 43 Highland St., Rochester (dancetheline.net)
Host: Dance The Line
Price: Free
Level: open dancing & requests
When: Thursdays 7-8 p.m. (co-host Michelle Jackson-White)

Where: Tuscan Village Outdoor, Stage 9 Via Toscana, Salem (603linedance.com)
Host: 603 Line Dance
Price: Free
Level: All
When: Thursdays 6-8p

Where: Dellicolli Dance Studio, 875 Lafayette Road, Seabrook (603-782-4949)
Host: Gail Eaton
Price: $10 beginner, $15 for both
Level: Beginner, Improver & Intermediate
When: Mondays 6-7 p.m. Beginner, 7-8:30 p.m. Improver/Intermediate

Where: Bow Lake Community Center (The Grange), 569 Province Road, Strafford (dancetheline.net)
Host: Dance The Line
Price: $10, cash only
Level: Beginner
When: Tuesdays 10-11:30 a.m.

Where: Pembroke City Limits, 134 Main St., Suncook (603linedance.com)
Host: 603 Line Dance
Price: Free
Level: All
When: Saturday, Aug. 2, 6 p.m.

Where: Smitty’s Theatre & Game Lab, 630 W. Main St., Tilton (603linedance.com)
Host: 603 Line Dance
Price: Free
Level: All
When: Tuesdays

Where: Bent-Burke Post 10 American Legion, 24 Maple St., Wilton (562-8910)
Host: Dorene Adams
Price: $5
Level: Beginner, Improver
When: Thursdays 7 p.m.

Where: Windham Senior Center, 2 N. Lowell Road, Windham (782-4949)
Host: Gail Eaton
Price: $5 pay as you go
Level: Beginner (6-7p), Improver & Intermediate (7p)
When: Thursdays 9:45-10:45 a.m.

Ginger Kozlowski on What’s Awesome About Line Dancing
It is for ANYONE! All ages, all body types. You will feel better physically and emotionally. You can meet new people and make friends. You will have FUN! Best of all, there’s nothing better for keeping your mind and body healthy.
If you dance with me, I try hard to make it all about the fun!

Here’s the most popular line dance on the World Line Dance Newsletter (worldlinedancenewsletter.com) right now:

No Remorse: youtu.be/8dB2kV2Req0

This is a very hard dance: The Sphinx: tinyurl.com/34hvurf6

… and a very easy dance: Dancin’ In the Country: tinyurl.com/mpk8cmj9

Here’s me having just taught a dance to a bunch of people at an event in Sturbridge, Mass. [look for “Ginger Love Me to Heaven” on YouTube.]