If you are looking to add a little more joy in your life, Marita's class might just be right for…read moreyou. She mindfully shares her love and appreciation of Guinean dance, music, and culture in her weekly classes. On Fridays, she offers a slower introduction to the dances, and on Tuesdays you get the extra delight of dancing to live drumming!

I attended the beginners class on Friday morning. It was a great experience and Marita and…read moreclassmates were most welcoming. I am someone who is not naturally coordinated and also can't keep a rhythm. Despite my challenges, I had a wonderful time and felt I could learn and have fun! I will be returning!

I love Avant. I started their Zumba classes years ago and go nowhere else. They have great fun and…read moreenthusiastic instructors. They also do fundraising Zumba nights and theme nights where people are encouraged to dress up. (Love those-rep to protect now) Avant and their dance groups love to help out nonprofits and be at events of all sorts. They love to give back. I was a part of the Dance Mile this year that they played a big roll in through Portland! Can't say enough. They do Salsa, Ballroom, Hip Hop, Burlesque etc. so much. Try it ;) you'll love it!

Avant Dance and Event Center is a large, well-equipped event venue. The space is beautiful. Not…read moreonly is it a dance studio, but it has a glamorous ballroom, two sprung plenty of comfortable seating, room to mingle, a café for snacking. There is always plenty of parking, and wifi available. They offer a full spectrum of dance, from beginner to advanced, social to competitive ballroom dancing and zumba. Along with all the studio classes, they host dance parties with live music, guest DJ's and theme parties to make your dance life fun and free. Contact Avant Dance and Event Center. 865 Spring Street, Westbrook, Maine. (207)899-4211 or email: kristin@avantmaine.com

Some things to know about this theater: 1. The matinee…read moreprices - including their "bargain day" - are more expensive than other cinemas in Greater Portland. 2. You could walk into this theater and never talk to or see an employee. I bought my ticket online, walked directly into the building, and freely to/from my screen without ever needing to show any proof that I had even bought a ticket. Which, like, as an introvert was amazing. But I'm pretty sure I could have stayed there all day bopping in and out of whatever movie I wanted (this was true for a midday, weekday screening, anyway). 3. The bathrooms here are not super clean, but they are super small. 4. If you're seeing a movie that's quieter, artsy, or dialogue-driven and the theater adjacent to yours is showing an action, adventure, or horror movie... that's the movie you're going to hear and experience. The bass absolutely overtakes everything. 5. It doesn't actually get that dark in these theaters. Because this cinema has stadium seating (where the seats go up platform by platform instead of going down a gradual slope), the safety lighting on the wall sort is sort of always in your periphery. I wouldn't not come here, I just wouldn't intentionally choose coming here.

We've gone to Apple Cinemas for years and they never have any of the "menu" items they heavily…read moreadvertise. Always a stupid excuse, too early, not enough employees to handle it. Today was their last chance and they blew it as usual. Do not go on an empty stomach. Bring a picnic lunch if you have to go there. Personally, I'm done with them!

I came across this business on the Congress Street sidewalk during the First Friday Art Walk in…read morePortland. Her creations are stunning, very creative, unique, and somehow make insects appear beautiful and not creepy. Savannah Saccarelli of Muh.Kuh.Bruh (a play on "macabre") is a talented artist who clearly has a passion for what she does. Check out her work online, or in person at one of the events posted on her website and Instagram. Or if you happen to have back issues of Down East Magazine, check out the write up of her in the June 2024 issue :)

This is the place to go for guitars and guitar gear in Portland…read more The staff is great, the prices are excellent, and the vibe is cool. They recently helped me re-setup my Tele after I screwed it all up by adjusting the neck on my own. They did great work, and got my guitar back in shape pronto. Best of all, unlike the corporate bozos over at Guitar Center, Buckdancer's won't try to upsell you at every opportunity.

I bought a very pretty Martin guitar to get back into playing (45 years since high school) I didn't…read moreunderstand that with the quality of the wood it needed to be hydrated in winter months when the house gets dry. So it cracked! Buckdancer's were able to fix the crack (it happened two years in a row) beautifully and did not charge me an arm and a leg to do so - reasonable price! The guys working there are really great. I have had a good experience shopping there over the years for myself or grown children. Highly recommended! Phinneas, the owner, is a very nice man too! PS They gave me some great advice on hydrating gear to protect the guitar going forward as well.

It has to be difficult to be the Portland Expo building. You're over a hundred years old, and maybe…read morearen't as cool as some of the other venues around town, or are rockin' the best amenities in the world, or get the chance to host the hippest events, or are even located in a trendy neighborhood, but you're there. Ever present. Doing the dirty work that makes our great city keep on keepin' on. So, hats off to you, Portland Expo. Thanks for being a really excellent polling place. And for being a great spot for our high schools to play and graduate. We appreciate the Red Claws and the Maine Roller Derby. Sometimes you get boxing or beer festivals, comic or mom and baby expos, home shows or car shows; that's pretty badass how you cater to just about every demographic. And Snoop Dogg? Remember that? Whoa. The point is, in the words of Billy Joel: don't go changing to try and please me; you never let me down before." Everything's changing these days, technology is making things speed up at an insane rate, and everyone's trying to top everyone else. But you do you. It's worked for over a century, and - while your parking can be annoying and your bathrooms not always the cleanest - we're always going to need a place like yours to do the normal things, the every day things, the nitty gritty things.

Clean, organized. Food is not badly priced. Most items are $5 or less. French fries, nachos,…read morepopcorn $3. Beer is $5 for domestic Budlight. $6 for Microbrews. Plenty of toilets. They also utilize the restrooms from the SeaDogs stadium when needed.