NORWICH – The Norwich Dance Club will host a Ballroom Dance Art and History Exhibit during the week of Sept. 17-22. The exhibit will be held in the community room at the Guernsey Memorial Library. This is a free program that will be open to the public during normal library hours. The Guernsey Memorial Library is located at 3 Court St. in the city of Norwich.

The exhibit is a collaborative effort between the Norwich Dance Club and the Chenango County Historical Museum. Features of the exhibit will include era ballroom dance costumes, musical instruments, written and pictorial history of ballroom dance in Chenango County and dance inspired art (sculptures, paintings, and glass etchings). Four well-known local artists will be displaying dance inspired art throughout the exhibit. These artists are Deb Whitman, Storm Hammond, David Frey and Linda Kays.

According to Martha Ryan, founding member of the Norwich Dance Club, the dance club is participating in the 2011 National Ballroom Dance Week by reintroducing the magic of ballroom dance to Chenango County. Stated Ryan, “At one time, during the late 1800s and the first half of the nineteenth century, ballroom dance was a central thread in the fabric of society throughout Chenango County. The beauty and elegance of ballroom dance served as both a vehicle to teach societal mores of the day, and as a common fund-raising method for community service projects. It is our hope to share this part of our heritage with the residents of Chenango County.”