Well, okay, dance like Jane Austen and her younger cousins, since she died in 1817 and the dances at this event run from the late 18thc up to 1824.
This weekend (10/18-19) is The Elegant Arts Society's Regency Assembly in New Haven, Connecticut. Saturday is dancing; I'm teaching the afternoon workshop and running the ball (with live music by Spare Parts) in the evening. Sunday when everyone is physically exhausted is strolling in the park and playing games (whist and picquet for the more alert, spillikins and dominoes for the less so) and drinking tea. I bring out my actual antiques for the gaming, so the spillikins and dominoes will be carved bone and ebony! (The cards, however, are reproduction decks.)
Yummy food both days baked from actual period recipes by our staff of stalwart cooks: rout cakes, syllabub, salamagundy, etc.
I love this event because it's my only chance during the year to put all my obsessive Regency research into actual practice. I can't go all out on things like steps at conventions where I'm working with fans who are for the most part not regular dancers and where I do not have the core of regulars attending who can dance complex stuff like the Royal Scotch Quadrilles.
So, if anyone reading Rixo is actually in range (besides Raven, who's already coming) and would like to do some spiffy dancing, which I will teach from scratch in the afternoon for beginners, please do come to New Haven this weekend! All the details and registration information are on the event website; you can still get the pre-reg discount if you register by Friday. Pretty costumes encouraged but not required!
I wish you a good time, Susan. While you'll be dealing with the finer things of Life, I'll be involved in a mainframe-disaster recovery.
Posted by: Serge | October 14, 2008 at 06:53 AM
Yikes, Serge!
Susan, have fun!
Posted by: Marilee J. Layman | October 14, 2008 at 06:44 PM
Oh, it shouldn't be too big of a deal, Marilee. I've been doing this for over 10 years and I'm usually done 2 hours after starting my part of it. It's just that it happens smack in the middle of Saturday.
Posted by: Serge | October 14, 2008 at 07:38 PM
It was fun, by the way, but exhausting!
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | October 25, 2008 at 08:05 AM