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Pre-register for the class for $15/person via Paypal here, or pay $18/person cash at the door. Flat, leather-soled shoes strongly recommended; no high heels. Please read the info below before registering - this is not a typical class! https://www.kickery.com/austendance.html
Welcome to my new dance experiment, for which I am looking for people in Connecticut who want to learn dancing in the style of Jane Austen rather than just learning dances in the style of today!
This is not your typical Jane Austen/Regency/English Country Dance event or class.
This is the first in what I hope will become a monthly series of classes, not social events, for people who want to experience dancing as close as we can get to the way it was done by Jane and her contemporaries. And maybe work up to a social event!
What does that even mean?
We will do our best to recreate the experience of country dancing as it was in Jane Austen’s time, including learning period steps, learning the “pieces” of dances rather than specific choreographies, choosing dance figures and music to match, and having the dancers themselves guide the dancing.
That sounds terrifying!
No, really, it’s easy! You don’t have to memorize choreography! Trust me; I know how to teach this. I have previously gotten dancers doing it in a single class and then conducted an entire ball on this basis that same evening. Jane Austen danced like this, and you can too!
Plus, we’ll also work on other dances with some connection to Jane Austen that are not country dances and have fixed choreographies, such as cotillions, the Boulanger, and perhaps the infamous Perigourdine!
Is it like in the movies, or in Bridgerton?
No. It’s livelier and more chaotic than you see in most Jane Austen movies and does not involve lots of cute couple choreographies like you see on Bridgerton.
Are the steps hard?
They are energetic and involving hopping and jumping. I realize not everyone is up to a lot of jumping, but everyone is encouraged to do their best and at least bounce a little bit, and perhaps work more on the other elements of the experience.
Why is it in Connecticut?
Because I live here. If you would like classes like this elsewhere, I am available for hire and would be happy to travel to teach your group!
Why is it on a weeknight?
Because people, including me, are very busy on weekends. The day and time of classes are likely to float around a bit.
Does anyone really want to do this?
Well, some people say they do! I honestly have no idea whether we can make this viable or not, but I’m willing to give it a few tries and see how it goes because this kind of immersive historical experience is what I love most!
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
635 Main St, Middletown, CT 06457-2718, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
