Harry Potter-themed dance event brings magic to downtown Lexington

Freshman+mechanical+engineering+student+Phillip+Brochu+admires+the+Harry+Potter+art+during+Student+Activities+Boards+Nerd+Night+event+in+the+Rasdall+Gallery+in+Lexington%2C+Ky.%2C+on+Thursday%2C+October+2%2C+2014.+Photo+by+Cameron+Sadler+%7C+Staff

Freshman mechanical engineering student Phillip Brochu admires the Harry Potter art during Student Activities Board’s Nerd Night event in the Rasdall Gallery in Lexington, Ky., on Thursday, October 2, 2014. Photo by Cameron Sadler | Staff

Travis Murray

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Witches, wizards and muggles alike will head downtown to the Plantory on Saturday, as Lexpecto Patronum is holding it’s annual Winter Wizarding Waltz.

Lexpecto Patronum is a chapter of The Harry Potter Alliance group, which was created in 2005 by Andrew Slack and Seth Soulstein. Slack and Soulstein are both comedians who turned their craft of making people laugh, into a way to give back to the community.

HPA focuses on fan-activism to raise awareness and provide help for issues such as work equality, human rights and literacy.

Sarabeth Brownrobie, the Headmaster of Lexpecto Patronum, said that she learned about HPA online.

“I wondered if it was just a fan-club group, which at the time, wasn’t what I was looking for,” Brownrobie said. “So I decided to go to the Hermione Granger conference to learn more.”

While at the conference, Brownrobie said the organization was just what she needed. After partnering with a charter of HPA from Woodford County High School, Lexpecto Patronum was born.

This isn’t the first Harry Potter themed event that Lexpecto Patronum has sponsored. They recently held a “Dobby” themed charity event in which they asked the community to donate socks. According to Brownrobie, socks are one of the least donated items of clothing for those in need.

Dobby is a house-elf in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. In order for a house-elf to gain freedom from their master, their master must give them an article of clothing. Harry Potter gives Dobby a sock, which he believes is from his true master, setting him free. Thus the name and theme of this event.  

Lexpecto Patronum collected over 1,000 pairs of socks for those in need.

The Winter Wizarding Waltz is an event where witches, wizards and muggles can kick back with some Butter Beer, a special drink from Harry Potter, and have a magical time.

Starting at 5 p.m., guests will take their seats for a Harry Potter themed five-course meal provided by Lexington Diner and created by Chef Ranada West-Riley. After the Golden Snitch Pops for dessert, March Madness, a local marching band, will provide musical entertainment until the waltzing begins.

Partnering with Lexington Vintage Dance, they have choreographed the dance from “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” with some minor changes.

“It just wouldn’t be safe throwing people over your head on a cement floor,” Brownrobie said.

Lexington Vintage Dance created a video teaching the dance for the winter waltzing guests.

Brownrobie encourages those with active imaginations and a willingness to give back to join Lexpecto Patronum.

“It’s a great way to get involved and connect with people throughout Kentucky,” Brownrobie said.

For more information on HPA and Lexpecto Patronum, visit their FaceBook page to sign up or learn ways to get involved.