Noteworthy events on Martha’s Vineyard

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Swing time

The Martha’s Vineyard ballroom dancing group is offering West Coast Swing lessons with Anne Fleming on Sunday, Feb. 3. Ms. Fleming is a dance instructor and national dance competitor from New Hampshire.

“West-coast swing is a freestyle form of partner dancing with smooth linear motions and a casual frame. It’s unique and fun,” she said in a press release. “It’s not ballroom and it’s not your grandparents’ swing.”

She will offer three one-hour workshops starting at 2 pm at Fanny Blair Hall, located on N. William Street in Vineyard Haven. A single workshop is $20 or $50 for all three. Please call 508-693-3651 for more information.

In memory of Leighton Burriss

The VFW in Oak Bluffs is hosting a benefit Spaghetti and Meatball dinner this Saturday, Feb. 2, in memory of Leighton Burriss, a veteran of the U.S. Navy Seabees who died in August, 2011. The dinner, from 5 to 7 pm, is a fundraiser for Martha’s Vineyard Veteran Services and Hospice of M.V. Admission is $12; $6 for children, and you may dine in or take out.

Where one writer roosts

Laura Wainwright of West Tisbury will read from her book, “Home Bird: Four Seasons on Martha’s Vineyard,” on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at the Vineyard Haven Library. The reading begins at 7 pm. Published by Vineyard Stories, “Home Bird” is a collection of some 30 essays, many of them published in the MV Times. For more information, call the library at 508-696-4211.

Founding member of SNCC speaks

Dr. Virginius Bray Thornton III, Professor of History at Massachusetts Bay Community College and founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), will speak at the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard Annual Black History Month Breakfast and Program on Saturday, Feb. 2.

The topic of his talk will be “Women of Interest: Past, Present, and Future.” The event will be held at Howes House in West Tisbury, with breakfast at 9:30 am followed by the program at 10 am. These will be preceded by a League membership meeting at 9 am. For more information, email Diane Purvis at dihar60@yahoo.com.

At Alex’s Place…

Alex’s Place at the YMCA of M.V. is a busy place.

On Friday, Feb. 1, Alex’s Place hosts Outloud, an introduction to poetry slams, performance poetry that encourages writers to perform their original poems in a passionate, rhythmic style. The event starts at 8 pm, and admission is $5.

On Saturday, Feb. 2 is the Groundhog Day Dance Party for Island middle schoolers, from 7 to 10:30 pm. Featured DJs include DJ Buttafingaz, and white tee-shirts will be given away to the first 50 kids to decorate them with blacklight paint to wear under the lights, which are part of the show. Admission is $5.

For more information, call 508-696-7171 ext. 128.

Breakfast for dinner

The Edgartown School’s fifth grade class is raising money for its summer sail on the Shenandoah by hosting a Pancake Dinner this Friday, Feb. 1. Enjoy pancakes, bacon, sausage, coffee, and juice from 5 to 7:30 pm, at the school cafeteria. Admission is $6; $4 for children and seniors; $20 for a family of 4 or more. For more information, call 508-524-7821.