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America declares war on England,
Napoleon invades Russia, and everyone dances!

Dancing at the 1812 Ball:
Much of the program will consist of early 19^th century set dances which will be taught during the evening. Some might be familiar to you if you have some experience with English Coutry Dance. Interspersed with these will be some elegant waltzes.

About the Hall and Directions
The ball will take place at the Salem Old Town Hall, a Federal Style Building, the earliest surviving municipal structure in Salem dating from 1816-17. The second floor of the building, the Great Hall, has always been used as a public hall. Directions to the hall can be found here.

Parking & Public Transit:
There are parking lots in the area and on-street parking, there is also a large parking garage near the Peabody Essex Museum. For more information on parking consult the City of Salem website. There is also commuter rail from Boston’s North Station to Salem (the Newbury/Rockport line); the station is within walking distance to the hall. Please check the current schedule at the MBTA website.

Purchasing Tickets
Admission: $25 (adults); $15 (students, with ID). You can register on-line by clicking on the Buy Tickets button above; payment can be made with either a credit card or a check. If you do not wish to register and pay on-line you can call the number below and reserve a place by phone. Admission may also be paid at-the-door ($5 surcharge per person).

Schedule of Events:
The day will begin with a dance workshop at 4 pm, also at the Old Town Hall. Dancing will commence at 8 pm. Lavish refreshments will be served at the intermission. The evening’s festivities will conclude at 11 pm.

Clothing:
Modern evening dress or costume from the Regency Era (1795-1820) is requested. Ballet slippers or low heeled shoes are recommended for ladies; for men we suggest comfortable shoes with leather soles (such as jazz oxfords). More information on period costuming is available on our Ladies’ Regency costuming page and Gentlemen’s Regency costuming page for those who wish information on how to assemble a period outfit. Changing space is limited. We suggest you arrive for the ball in your costume if possible; a very small changing room will be available for last-minute adjustments. For the dance workshop we suggest comfortable modern clothing.

OTHER RELATED EVENTS

Regency Dressmaking Workshop
January 7, 1 pm with Katy Bishop & Terry Crumb
Nahant Community Center, 41 Valley Road, Nahant, MA
An introduction to Regency fashions. Learn how to make it or fake it just in time for the 1812 Ball. In this workshop we will view some original garments of the period, including a spencer (jacket) from the collections of the Nahant Historical Society and Katy Bishop. We will also have several examples of garments made from replica patterns (including corsets) and made from altered thrift store garments. We will discuss the most prevalent styles of the time and show you how to achieve the proper look, from the underwear out. Fabric, pattern and trim recommendations will also be covered. Participants are encouraged to bring along their own projects for advice and assistance.

Vintage Dance Lyceum: Regency Dance
January 22 & 29, 6 pm, 738 Main Street, Waltham, MA
You are invited to join members of CVD for a series of free Sunday evening workshops that will focus on dances of varoius Eras. Participants will join members of the troupe to learn dance steps and choreographies for period dances. Dancers of all ages are encouraged to come either alone or with a partner. In January we will focus on dances of the Regency period (that's the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, also known as the Federalist period here in the States). A perfect way to beat back the winter doldrums, and great preparation for our 1812 Ball.