Salsa in the rain

The latest Dancing Under the Stars proved that not even rain can stop a community dedicated to dance. On Friday, July 26, the event overcame a temporary downpour to deliver another memorable salsa evening in Cottonwood Square.

At the end of Joseph Snowhawk's salsa dance lesson, a Colorado thunderstorm decided to join the dance. Event organizer Tom Masterson joked, "Mother Nature knows when it's Friday in Niwot," referring to other brief rainstorms that have cut in on the event.

Some attendees took cover underneath the awnings of The Little Shop, Winot Coffee, and the Niwot Tavern, while others ran to sit out the rain in their cars. Several dancers moved to the edge of the dance floor, where trees provided a little cover, and kept dancing.

Catherine McHale, an event organizer, took over the microphone for announcements while Snowhawk hurried to grab umbrellas and trashbags to cover sound equipment. She assured the crowd, "We're going to keep the music going and dance till 9:30," before pointing out a rainbow that had appeared to the east.

Some participants even took off their shoes to navigate the slick, squeaky dance floor more easily. When they were sure the storm had passed, Masterson and McHale grabbed brooms and swept puddled water off of the floor to make it safer to dance again. The sound equipment was uncovered, and the sky cleared to reveal an impressive sunset, creating the perfect backdrop to the evening.

Despite the initial disruption, the crowd's enthusiasm never waned, and the dance floor remained full until 9:30 p.m. By the end of the night, the storm was a long-forgotten thought.

Next Friday, Aug. 2, Dancing Under the Stars will feature its third swing night of the season, with Boulder Swing Dance providing the dance instruction and music for the evening. Attendees can look forward to another lively evening of music and dancing from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

The event is funded by the Niwot LID, and sponsored by the Niwot Business Association, and Cottonwood Square, as well as local business sponsors Porchfront Homes, DRF Real Estate, Big Orange Square, Raza Fresa, Una Vida, and the Niwot Tavern.