My first J.A.M. Session was part of a bonding exercise with my fellow Ford staff members in May. We Contra danced, kind of like square dancing but in a line.  Boy, was I relieved to find out I wasn't the only one with two left feet! At one point our 20-person Contra line disintegrated, resulting in an eruption of laughter from the pack. But, thanks to the instructors and other skillful members, we re-grouped and were do-si-do-ing like seasoned pros, or at least that's how I like to remember it. That's what J.A.M. Sessions are all about - opening up to diverse cultures and artistic traditions, letting yourself make mistakes and discovering a new side of yourself.

Achinta S. McDaniel of blue13 dance company led the 2nd J.A.M. of the 2011 Summer Season, Bollywood into the Night. She urged the large group to unleash their inner diva, an important aspect in Bollywood dance. As you can see in our footage of the event, everyone there, experienced dancers and novices alike, learned the steps and transformed into fierce Bollywood movie stars by the end. One attendee commented, "I went stag since I thought I couldn't follow an 8-count dance lesson to save my life and wanted to spare anyone I know the grief of my lack of coordination. Surprisingly, I had so much fun meeting and joining in with equally enthusiastic strangers .... I plan to JAM some more this season since-news flash-I can follow an 8-count...."

Dance not your thing?  Besides tango, flamenco and Samoan dance, this summer also includes lessons with flamenco percussion maestro David Maldonado (July 11), singing with Koffeehouse Music (July 25) and even a Bluegrass Open Mic (August 29). Check out all our J.A.M. Sessions this summer!  - Molly