The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers
announces

March Madness
(beginning in February!)
A Six Week Open House

February 17 & 24
March 3, 10, 17 & 24

The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers is a performance troupe dedicated to researching, reconstructing and performing dances of the mid-nineteenth century (Civil War era), the late nineteenth century (1890’s) and the early twentieth century (Ragtime, circa 1914). We also sponsor social events such as public balls for each of these periods.

Mid-nineteenth century dances include the Waltz, Polka, Quadrilles (early square dances), Contra Dances (in period style), Scotch Reel, and other, more exotic variants such as the Redowa, Polka Mazurka, and more. Late nineteenth century dance include the waltz (a different waltz), Racket, Schottische, Five-Step Waltz, and others. Ragtime dances include the One-Step, Two-Step, early Foxtrot, early Tango, Hesitation Waltz and others.

The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers rehearse Sunday evenings from 7 to about 9:30 pm at "The Catholic Center" in Medford, near Tufts University.

For several upcoming Sundays, these sessions will be open to anyone interested in learning some of the dances of these three periods. The sessions will be run as classes and will presume no specific prior experience in this dance form. Each session after the first will include review of material covered in previous sessions and also new material for those who are only able to join us in the middle of the sequence.

If you have ever considered joining a Vintage Dance troupe or if you simply want to improve your dancing to enhance your enjoyment of the social events we sponsor, please join us for these sessions. These sessions are being offered free of charge.

"The Catholic Center" is located at 58 Winthrop Street, Medford, MA. This is the corner of Winthrop Street and Emery Street, near the corner of Winthrop and Boston Ave. Parking is available in the small parking lot off Winthrop Street located behind the dry cleaners which is at the corner of Winthrop and Boston Ave.

For further information contact: Patri J. Pugliese at (781) 396-2870,

SPRINGTIME RAGTIME DANCE WEEKEND

Welcome Spring to New England with a One Step or Tango! Join us for a wonderful weekend of Ragtime Dance, Saturday and Sunday May 11th and 12th in the Parish Hall of the First Unitarian Society, West Newton, MA.

The weekend festivities will begin with dance workshops on Saturday afternoon for both beginners and advanced dancers.

Prepare to be transported back to the Ragtime Era as the hall is transformed into a splendid ballroom, a perfect setting in which to dance the night away to the music of Spare Parts. Formal attire is requested, period attire is encouraged.

The schedule for Sunday’s events is still in the planning stage, one option under consideration is a stroll, wearing Summer whites, through the Arnold Arboretum during their annual Lilac Sunday festival.

Sunday’s festivities will continue with an afternoon Ragtime Tea Dance, with live music provided by Spare Parts.

Much of the weekend is still in the planning stages, check our website for more details as they become available! Ball Admission: $20 per person (or $17.50 if paid by May 5th). For further information, contact Katy Bishop at: (781) 593-3038 or

CVD on Film

CVD in Museums

CVD’s members and friends have been busy in front of the cameras for PBS during the past couple of years. Though few faces appear, bits of outfits are recognizable: “There’s my sleeve!”   “Is that my foot?”

Many of its members took part in the filming of a documentary on the life of President Grant for the American Experience series. An extravagantly filmed dinner party was enjoyed by all (despite the fact that the goodies, though beautiful, were not edible).

More recently, we provided historically costumed extras, as well as costumes and a dozen or so bonnets (after a marathon bonnet making session), to the documentary film A Murder at Harvard another American Experience project (about the infamous 1849 Parkman murder case, the O. J. Simpson trial of its day). A Murder at Harvard premiered recently at a Boston movie theater, to a sold-out house of over 600 people, with many folks turned away at the door for lack of space. Airdates have not been set for these two productions.

In April Barbara Pugliese and Katy Bishop lent their costuming expertise to David McCauley’s Mill Times (which aired in early January). They made 1830’s style outfits, with much help from Saundra Altman at Past Patterns, and appeared in the film as Lowell Mill Girls, working at the looms and out for a stroll on a Sunday morning.

Katy also made some facsimile magazines for use in a PBS production about 1883 frontier family life, much like last year’s 1900 House series, being filmed in Montana.

In May CVD and friends participated in a scene depicting a crowded ballroom for another American Experience series about the city of Chicago. It was a grueling shoot with eight couples dancing in an area of about fifteen square feet.

Photographs Wanted

We are always searching for interesting photographs of the various events at Newport and other CVD events for inclusion in publicity materials and for placement on our web-pages. If you have any photos that you think would be appropriate, please send them to the address on the previous page, attn: CVD photos (and let us know if you wish to have them returned).

The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers and The Salem Zouaves, a Civil War reenactment unit founded by CVD members Patri Pugliese and Paul Kenworthy, recently lent a bit of military precision to the opening of the new exhibit: All For One & One For All: Uniforms in Fact and Fantasy, at the American Textile History Museum in Lowell, MA.

Patri and Barbara Pugliese loaned some reproduction Civil War era outfits to the exhibit, including a reproduction Salem Zouave uniform, copied from an original uniform which also appears in the exhibit.

During the opening night party CVD members Patri, Paul, Barbara, and Katy Bishop performed a few dances of the Civil War era and The Salem Zouaves provided a brief exhibition of military drill from the same period. Curated by Nancy Rexford, the exhibit will run through May 27. For more information contact the museum at: (978) 441-0400 or www.athm.org

Rosettes for Ladies Shoes
Peterson’s Magazine, October 1861

Ribbon, silk or lace rosettes are a simple way to decorate a ballet slipper to compliment one’s gown. Below are three examples from 1861.

Circular rosette of
ribbon with small
center buckle.

Circular rosette with loops
in pique edged ribbon and a
bead at the center.

Bow shaped rosette of looped ribbon or silk and lace
with a small buckle decoration.

1860’s Costume Hints for the Returning Heroes Ball
by Patri and Barbara Pugliese and Katy Bishop

Ladies’ Evening Dress of the 1860’s

Ladies' evening gowns of this era typically consisted of a full gathered or pleated skirt, worn over a wired hoop (110-125” in circumference at the hem), a fitted bodice with rounded off-the-shoulder neckline and short puffed sleeves. The bodice is usually fastened at the center back by either hooks and eyes or lacing. Fabrics used were most often silks in taffeta, moire or brocades, in solids, stripes, small prints or plaids. For summer wear lightweight silk organza and cotton muslins were also used. Colors would be lighter for young ladies, darker for older women. Bright red should be avoided, as would black (in America) and very dark colors. The gown can be decorated with contrasting trim and black or white lace. Decorative elements (ruffles, bows, geometric designs, etc.) on the bodice and skirt usually matched, with the skirt decoration reflected on a smaller scale on the berthe of the bodice.

Shoes should be fairly flat such as ballet flats or "character ballets," in white or a color to compliment the gown. Hair should be worn parted in the center and pulled away from the face, rolled on the sides and pulled into a bun fairly low on the neck. Evening head dresses can be circlets, wreaths, or decorative combs with ribbons, flowers and feathers. Earrings should be dangles, and short bead necklaces are appropriate, as well as gold bracelets; a matched pair of bracelets is especially fashionable. Wrist length white gloves and a small fan also makes a good evening accessory.

An old prom dress or bridesmaid dress, if the skirt is suitably long and full (100+ inches at the hem) can be easily altered to approximate the style of an 1860's ball dress with the addition of suitable sleeves and trims.

If you wish to make a more accurate gown, Past Patterns has several patterns which are quite good including: ball bodice #704, skirts #700 and #801, chemises #707 and drawers #706. A corset is indispensable for achieving a smooth fit for your bodice; Past Patterns has several options including #703, #708 and #213.

Gentlemen's Evening Dress of the 1860’s

Gentlemen's evening wear of this era consisted of a black tail coat, white or black waistcoat, usually with lapels, without points at the waist (cummerbunds are not appropriate). The trousers matched the coat, without satin ribbon at the side seams and with no crease down the front and back. The outfit is completed with a stock or cravat in white or black, and white gloves. Flexible soled shoes such as Capezio black jazz oxfords are comfortable for dancing.

A modern tail coat is a good approximation of the period dress coat, and the Folkwear vest pattern #222, view B, produces an excellent vest for this period. See the resources list on our website for information on the CVD stock (necktie) pattern and a list of purveyors of vintage patterns and sewing necessities.