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Dear Vintage Dance Friends,
The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers are happy to announce a new vintage dance series. We hope that you will have an
opportunity to come and dance with us!
When?
Dances will be on 2nd and 4th Fridays each month, at the Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, Salem,
MA. The first dance will be Friday, September 26, 2008. The Series will run through the winter and spring and at that point we will
decide whether the dances will continue through the summer.
Who?
Dances will have live music and will be aimed at the general public. This is a great opportunity for your friends and
family to get a taste of vintage dance. We are committed to the idea of making the dances lively and fun, so they should be worthwhile
for more experienced vintage dancers as well. We hope that all our friends will be pleased with the opportunity to participate in more
social dancing. This is not a class, so no one needs to worry that if they miss a Friday or two they will be left behind.
Repertoire?
We will begin with a selection of proven favorite contra dances and quadrilles and the grand march. We will play
waltzes, polkas and galops, but probably fewer than you are used to. After a few months, if people express an interest, we will probably
add an earlier class in the advanced turning dances. In the meantime, we will be happy to see advanced dancers showing off their more
technical steps during these dances. We will not have any sort of a class during the dance, but will build in whatever instruction seems
necessary for the set dances.
Instruction?
We are looking forward to introducing new reconstructions of set dances. Since this is a regularly occurring dance,
we will not need to teach at a beginning level every week. Once most of the regulars are comfortable with a dance, beginners will be
able to pick it up very quickly and it will become part of the vintage repertoire.
Music?
Our musicians are most familiar with the music of the mid-nineteenth century, but we expect to be able to add music
and dances from the early and late century as the months go by. One day, we hope to have dancers equally comfortable with Regency
country dances, mid-century mazurkas and late-century cakewalks.
Dress?
Requested dress for the dances is either modern clothes or historical outfits. As the saying goes, historical dress
is admired but not required. We want everyone to feel comfortable with the option of wearing historical dress. It will add a lot to the
atmosphere and will give pleasure to the new dancers. We don’t want the new dancers to feel that there is a barrier to entry, so we hope
that everyone else will not get too hung up on the specific period or style of dress. Any historical outfit from 1800 to 1900 and for a
few decades before or after is appropriate for this dance. Daytime and evening styles are fine. Comfortable modern clothes are always
acceptable for both beginning and experienced dancers.
Appropriate Shoes?
We do ask that you pass the word to inexperienced dancers that they should not wear sneakers or shoes with sticky
rubber soles. It handicaps beginning dancers when their feet cannot glide across the floor, and the friction makes turning dances
downright dangerous to the knees and joints.
Where?
Dances will be held at Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, Salem, Massachusetts. Old Town Hall is the earliest surviving
municipal structure in Salem, Massachusetts (dating from 1816-17) and an outstanding Federal Style building. The second floor of the
building, Great Hall, has always been used as a public hall, and contained Town offices until 1837. The first floor, originally designed
as a public market, is now being used as a public art space. You can see photos of the building and the great hall at the
Salem Old Town Hall site.
Parking?
There are parking lots in the area and street parking is free after 5 pm. There is a commuter rail from Boston’s
South Station to Salem. The final run from Salem back to Boston is at 11:30 pm. We hope to encourage carpooling and have set up a
livejournal community, to facilitate this.
October is a very busy month in the city of Salem. We hope that everyone will enjoy the energy of Halloween season.
Please allow yourself extra time to find parking before the October dances.
Looking forward to more dancing,
The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers
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