Capering & Kickery

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Le Klondike Two Step

Reading this morning's headlines about events in Alaska, it seems the moment to post this little French sequence dance, which can also be used to vary an early twentieth-century two-step.  I've found this sequence in only one source: La Danse, by [George] Washington Lopp, published in Paris in 1903 as part of a two-book compendium.  The smaller part (forty-five pages to the two hundred-plus of La Danse) of the compendium is a brief manual of etiquette and costume written by J. Chéron. 

Mr. Lopp seems to have been an interesting character, an American expatriate and former Chicago dancing master whose partnership in a Parisian musical conservatory went extremely sour, resulting in lawsuits, lockouts, and a "very tempestuous scene" with one of the patronesses of the conservatory, who insisted on performing a concerto she had composed.  Apparently the piece was so dreadful that the audience

was unable...to endure the entire infliction, and most of those present incontinently left after the first movement had been half finished.

While La Danse is dated 1903, I think it most likely that this dance dates to 1897 or 1898, the height of the Klondike Gold Rush.  Lopp attributes the dance to H.-N. Grant, whom Giraudet mentions in his list of dancing professors as being active in Buffalo, New York, in 1898.

Known World Dance Symposium

I'm off this weekend to a Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) event, Known World Dance Symposium VII, in Hamilton, Ontario (near Toronto).  I'm not an active SCA member, but I have very pleasant memories of the last one of these I went to, in Boston back in 2001.  I'll be there Friday through Sunday, off and on.  I'm not teaching anything, so I'm just planning to hang out with other dance geeks and do some relaxing dancing.

I'd be happy to say hi to any Kickery readers attending this event.

Regency & Ragtime Dance Workshops, NYC (Sunday, June 28, 2009)

I will be teaching two dance workshops for The Elegant Arts Society in New York City this Sunday, June 28th.  Logistical details are below.

The first (1:00-3:45pm) will focus on the dances of the Regency era (1810-1820), including steps and figures for country dances and French quadrilles.  Specifically, we will dance and look at a step-sequences to use in Le Pantalon, L'Eté,  La Poule, and La Trenise (first through fourth figures of the French quadrille) and the first, second, and fourth figures of The Caledonians.  Depending on available time, we will also enjoy a Spanish Dance and an 1816 version of the classic Money Musk as well as the Scotch Reel for six and -- numbers permitting -- the amazing reel for nine people (and one hat) known as the Bumpkin.

The second class (4:00-6:00pm) will focus on some of the more unusual dance fads of the mid-1910s.  We'll dance the simple and delightful Lulu Fado (featuring a mix of two-step and walking sequences with finger-snapping and clapping) and work on some essential moves for the swaying Brazilian maxixe (as filtered through France and America) and the half and half, an unusual waltz in 5/4 time.

Both of the above are beginner-level classes.  No experience is needed, no partner is required, and clean leather-soled flat shoes (or low heels for the ladies for the second class; no spike heels!) are recommended.  Gender balance is not guaranteed.

The classes are held at Dick Shea's (a capoeira studio), 104 W. 14th Street at 6th Avenue, New York City.  Ring buzzer #3, up 2 flights, first door on the right.  For more information, please email EAS.

The Regency class costs $18, or $12 for people attending for the first time; the Ragtime class costs $15, or $12 if paid in advance (no later than 6/26) via Paypal cash transfer (NO CREDIT CARDS) to paypal@elegantarts.org.

CD Review: Knockout Drops

I'm frequently asked for recommendations for period dance music, especially for the turn-of-the-century ragtime era of the 1890s-1910s.  Fortunately, there are quite a few CDs which are commercially available and useful to the social dancer, among them the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra's 1997 album, Knockout Drops.

The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra is a leading exponent of vintage American popular music with the rich and varied sound of a twelve-piece orchestra (wind, brass, percussion, and strings).  Working from period orchestral scores, they play concerts, radio shows, and silent film programs as well as producing several CDs and a DVD with their accompaniment to the silent film, The Mark of Zorro.  Though as far as I can tell they do not play for dance events, they include a great deal of lively dance music in their repertoire, much of which is played in a way usable for dancing (not always a given with music played as concert pieces).  I recommend Knockout Drops for anyone searching for good one-steps and two-steps as well as for those who simply enjoy popular American music of this period.

Paragon director Rick Benjamin's liner notes contain a wealth of detail about the history of ragtime music and about the historical context of the tunes and their composers.  The title of this CD is taken from the first track, Frank Klickmann's "Knockout Drops," about which the notes say it is:

a ribald allusion to the shocking modis-operandi of the White Slaver, much in the news that year with the passage of a Federal law "prohibiting the interstate transportation of women and girls for immoral purposes."

Musically, Knockout Drops features a rich selection of popular tunes of the ragtime era.  It includes two Scott Joplin rags and a Sousa march as well as good recordings of old favorites such as "The Teddy Bear's Picnic" and "At a Georgia Campmeeting."  One-step and foxtrot medleys incorporate tunes such as "I Ain't Got Nobody" and "Ragtime Cowboy Joe," and an amazing 1905 two-step medley includes a whole cornucopia of Civil War-era songs from "Battle Hymn of the Republic" to "Dixie."

Though many of the tunes are given dance types (one-step, foxtrot, etc.), not all of them are usable as labeled.  Looking at the tunes purely as dance pieces, Knockout Drops includes:

Alternating the One- and Three-Slide Rackets

• Era: 1880s into very early 1900s

Combining the one-slide rackets and three-slide rackets previously described creates an interestingly varied dance which is referred to by the prominent late-nineteenth-century dancing master Melvin B. Gilbert simply as the Racket, with no further descriptor.  The unadorned term is used by other writers to refer to several different variations in both 2/4 and 3/4 time, however, leaving us with unwieldy labels such as Allen Dodworth's "Alternating the One Slide and Three Slide to Galop."

Whatever one may call it, the sequence is not difficult once both the one-slide and three-slide rackets have been mastered.  Conceptually, one simply alternates two bars of one with two bars of the other to build an eight-bar sequence.  For the one-slide racket, two bars will be moving to the left and right (in whichever order); for the three-slide racket, two bars means moving either to the left or to the right.  So sequences may be built as follows:

2b   three-slide to left
2b   one-slide to right, one-slide to left
2b   three-slide to right
2b   one-slide to left, one-slide to right

The sequence may be commenced at any of the two-bar moves given above, though since one generally leads off a sequence with the left foot either the first or last pair of bars are the logical starting points.  Broken down into steps (given for the gentleman; the lady dances opposite), the sequence in the order given above would be:

The Three-Slide Racket

• Era: 1880s into very early 1900s

The three-slide racket extends the two-bar repeat pattern of the one-slide racket previously described into a four-bar pattern which has a more galop-like feel and is somewhat easier to initiate.  It is described in the major dance late-nineteenth-century dance manuals of M.B. Gilbert and Allen Dodworth and in two minor compilation manuals, one of which (Cartier's Practical Illustrated Waltz Instructor) names it "The Wave."

The instructions below are for the gentleman; the lady dances opposite.  The dancers start in a normal late-nineteenth-century ballroom hold with joined hands angled forward at a diagonal along the line of dance.  Like the one-slide racket, the three-slide racket follows a zig-zag track along the line of dance; there is no turning involved.

The Galop Racket or One-Slide Racket

• Era: 1880s into very early 1900s

The galop racket or one-slide racket is the simplest of the various rackets and is described under  both names in different sources.  In one Parisian manual it is simply "La Raquette," though most other sources agree that "the" racket is a compound sequence mixing two different racket rhythms.  Prominent New England dancing master M.B. Gilbert explained it simply as "Pas de Basque sidewise" in 2/4 time.

The instructions below are for the gentleman; the lady dances opposite.  The dancers start in a normal late-nineteenth-century ballroom hold with joined hands angled forward at a diagonal along the line of dance.  The dance follows a zig-zag track along the line of dance; there is no turning involved.

Newport Vintage Dance Week (Rhode Island, July 27-August 2, 2009)

I will be teaching at Newport Vintage Dance Week, sponsored by The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers, later this summer.  There are still openings to sign up for the week, especially for couples and single men; I believe single women are currently being wait-listed.

Newport is a lovely event with formal balls in three eras: 1890s, held at the Astors' Beechwood mansion; 1860s, held at the Rotunda Ballroom (with a carousel to ride at the breaks); and 1910s, held at Glen Manor House with a dinner beforehand.  There are also three evenings of informal dancing, a silent movie showing, and a "swap and sell" for vintage clothing and other items of interest.  Typically, there is also a formal afternoon tea one day, and there is time off to tour in Newport, play croquet, or simply relax.  During the daytimes, there will be workshops in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century dance.  The dance spaces and accommodations in this year's venue (Roger Williams University) are air-conditioned.

I will be teaching the Intermediate/Advanced Nineteenth-Century Dance class.  While I haven't finalized exactly what I'm teaching, so this is subject to change, it will likely be some combination of:

- rackets and racket waltzes (1880s-1890s)
- mid- and late nineteenth-century schottische variations (probably including the gliding five-step scottische)
- two-step (c1900)

The plan for racket and schottische variations grows from one of my current dance/reconstruction interests, rhythm variations and syncopations in nineteenth-century dance; posts here on the various rackets will probably follow along in July or August.  The two-step will serve as an easy, relaxing windup to the week after I have over-filled peoples' brains and tired their legs out with jumping around for the first few days of the class.

The other members of the teaching staff this year are:
Joan Walton (Intermediate/Advanced Twentieth Century and Twentieth Century Specialty)
Marc Casslar (Basic Twentieth Century and Nineteenth Century Specialty)
Barbara Pugliese (Basic Nineteenth Century and the Prince Imperial Quadrille)

Full details about the week, including a tentative schedule, are on the CVD website.

Round Two Step: A 1903 Dance Mixer

Mixer dances, where all the participants shift partners at intervals, are useful icebreakers at dance events.  In A Complete Practical Guide to Modern Society Dancing (1903), Philadelphia dancing master Albert W. Newman offers a simple mixer for use with the then-fashionable two-step, asserting hopefully that

This dance is rapidly gaining popularity, as it is most enjoyable.

The dancers take partners and hold hands in a grand circle, with each gentleman standing to the left of his partner, and all circle to the left (clockwise).  The dance leader calls out a number (3, 7, 12, etc.), and all the dancers face their partners and begin a grand chain, giving right hands to their partners and pulling by, left to the next, right to the next, left to the next, etc.  As they move, they count people, starting with their partners as "one."  When they reach the number called out by the leader, each takes ballroom position with that person and two-step until the leader gives a signal (typically a whistle), at which point all the dancers open up into a grand circle and once again circle to the left. 

This sequence is repeated as many times as desired, with the leader calling a different number each time so that the dancers end up with new partners after each grand chain.

Newman suggests that the Round Two Step is not only a standalone mixer but also a suitable final figure for a German, or cotillion, a type of party involving a series of dance games.

This style of circle-and-chain mixer was later known as a Paul Jones, possibly after a piece of popular music.  Similar mixers remain current in some living tradition dance forms today.

Regency & Ragtime Dance Workshops, NYC (Sunday, June 7, 2009)

I will be teaching two dance workshops for The Elegant Arts Society in New York City this Sunday, June 7th.  Logistical details are below.

The first (1:00-3:45pm) will focus on the dances of the Regency era (1810-1820), including steps and figures for country dances and French quadrilles.  Specifically, we will dance and look at a step-sequences to use in Le Pantalon, L'Eté,  La Poule, and La Trenise (first through fourth figures of the French quadrille) and the first, second, and fourth figures of The Caledonians.  Depending on available time, we will also enjoy a Spanish Dance and an 1816 version of the classic Money Musk as well as the Scotch Reel for six and -- numbers permitting -- the amazing reel for nine people (and one hat) known as the Bumpkin.

The second class (4:00-6:00pm) will focus on the turn-of-the-century two-step during its period of overwhelming popularity in the late 1890s and early 1900s, when it was danced to the lively marches of composers such as John Philip Sousa.  This will include the basic step in both 2/4 and 3/4 time, simple variations, and sequences such as the Très-Chic and Tantivy which can be used to liven up the basic two-step.

Both of the above are beginner-level classes.  No experience is needed, no partner is required, and clean leather-soled flat shoes (or low heels for the ladies for the second class; no spike heels!) are recommended.  Gender balance is not guaranteed.

The classes are held at Dick Shea's (a capoeira studio), 104 W. 14th Street at 6th Avenue, New York City.  Ring buzzer #3, up 2 flights, first door on the right.  For more information, please email EAS.

The Regency class costs $18, or $12 for people attending for the first time; the Ragtime class costs $15, or $12 if paid in advance (no later than 6/5) via Paypal cash transfer (NO CREDIT CARDS) to paypal@elegantarts.org.

Mr. Saracco's Five-Step Waltz

• Era: 1840s-1890s America

In the 1840s, two separate dances known as the "Five-Step Waltz," "Cinq Temps Valse," or "Valse à Cinq Temps" arose, one from Paris and one, apparently, from New York.  The latter dance was described in 1854 by D.L. Carpenter in The Amateur's Preceptor on Dancing and Etiquette as follows:

This very beautiful Waltz was first introduced in New York, by that able master, Mr. Saracco; every movement being so exact and pointed, and of which is different from the Cellarious five time Waltz, being too much in the style of a gallop...

Mr. Saracco himself is shown at left.  His dance and the Cellarius version are sufficiently distinct in their movements that I will address only Saracco's five-step waltz in this post.

How to Harvard

This post is for Antonia, a superb 19th-century reenactor and dancer who has just completed her freshman year at that Ivy League school up in Boston.  Congratulations from a Yalie!

• Era: 1880s-1890s (America)
• Dances: Schottische, Polka, Galop

I have a strong but unsupported suspicion that the dance variation called the Harvard is some sort of Victorian joke playing off the turn-of-the-century dance known as the Boston.  The characteristic step is a long slide forward or backward along the line of dance, similar to the step of the Boston, combined with a sequence of three measures of waltz-galop.

The Harvard was described by prominent late 19th-century dancing master M.B. Gilbert in his collection of couple dances, Round Dancing (Portland, Maine, 1890) as a variation for the schottische, though the timing is more that of a polka or galop.  It is attributed by Gilbert to the late Professor Vegas of New Orleans.

Gavotte: Not

• Era: 1880s-1890s (America)
• Dance: schottische

The term "gavotte" has referred to a number of different dances since its earliest appearance in the 16th century.  In this post, it refers not to any of these specific dances, but to a pair of schottische variations described by noted 19th-century dancing master M.B. Gilbert in his manual of couple dances, Round Dancing (Portland, Maine, 1890).  As far as I can tell they have neither anything in particular to do with the earlier dances known as the Gavotte (or the mid-19th century promiscuous quadrille figure of the same name, described here), nor any distinctive choreographic feature that might supply some reason for the use of the term in their names.  Nor are these variations common in other dance manuals, suggesting that they were rarely if ever danced outside the studio.

I nonetheless find them worthy of writeup not because they are particularly compelling sequences but because of what they reveal about approaches to varying the schottische at the end of the nineteenth century, approaches that might be exploited by the experienced late Victorian dance reenactor.

Five Step Schottische

• Era: 1870s(?)-1890s (America)

The Five Step Schottische, as described by prominent late 19th-century dancing master M.B. Gilbert in his tome of couple dances, Round Dancing (Portland, Maine, 1890) and later by Marguerite Wilson in her oft-reprinted Dancing (Philadelphia, 1899),  squeezes five movements, rather than the standard four, into each bar of schottische for an interesting variation which alternates sideways slides and half-turns for a sequence similar to that of waltz variations such as the contemporary Le Metropole (also included in Gilbert's manual) or the later Five-Step Boston described by Philadelphian Albert Newman in 1914.  Putting this combination into schottische rhythm makes for an interesting but not overly complicated dance worth resurrecting by the modern late-19th-century dance reenactor.

Of the dance's name, Gilbert complains that:

Some more appropriate name might have been given to this dance, but I think it best to adhere to the phrase, rather than take upon myself a lingual reform.

This does not stop him for long.  A few pages later, he lists "Redowa Schottische" and "New Schottische" as alternate titles for the variation.  He attributes the former name to E.W. Masters, whom he claims originated it in 1871 (pushing the date of the dance back significantly), and feels that

Although this dance is better known as the Five Step Schottische, the name given above [Redowa Schottische] is far more appropriate.

The name Five Step Schottische, however, is more straightforwardly descriptive and thus more useful.

The Snake Dip

• Era: 1910s
• Dance: One-Step

Like the Pomander Walk, the Snake Dip is a one-step variation found in Albert Newman's Dances of to-day, published in Philadelphia in 1914, in which the dancers take, alternately, right- and left-side Yale position.  In the Snake Dip, however, the dancers make a continuous zigzag pattern along the line of dance rather than alternating travel with making circles in place. 

Newman somewhat imaginatively suggests of this sequence that "when well done it resembles the movement of the snake."

His diagram of the gentleman's steps is at left.

An Easy One-Step Sequence

F. Leslie Clendenen's 1914 compilation, Dance Mad, is full of sequences of varying levels of difficulty for many of the popular dances of the 1910s.  This one caught my eye as being a short (sixteen beats) and simple introductory one-step suitable for getting beginners dancing quickly and for teaching the lead for rhythm changes between one-step and two-step.  Clendenen gives it no special name or attribution, just "One Step."

Directions are given for the gentleman; the lady dances opposite.  Starting foot is left for the gentleman and right for the lady.  Begin in normal ballroom position, with the gentleman facing along the line of dance.

Counts      Steps
1-2-3-4      Back the lady four steps
1&2           Two-step (step-close-step), angling diagonally forward to the left
3&4           Two-step (step-close-step), angling diagonally forward to the right
1-2-3-4      Back the lady four steps
(Turn a quarter clockwise)
1-2-3-4      Slide left foot along line of dance (1) close right to it with weight (2); repeat
(Turn a quarter counter-clockwise so gentleman faces line of dance, ready to repeat)

The angling to the left and right on the two-steps rather than moving straight forward along the line of dance cues the lady to perform a two-step rather than simply walking.  Clendenen describes this as "throwing [the] body slightly to [the] side on the 2 step" and moving "quite freely at left and right of partner."

An interesting variation, not given in the source but compatible with period practice, would be to turn clockwise rather than counter-clockwise at the end so that the sequence is then repeated with the gentleman backing up.  The mid-sequence turn will then be counter-clockwise.  This will not result in full turns, but the dancers could alternate backing the lady and backing the gentleman.

International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, MI (May 7-8, 2009)

I will be attending the International Congress on Medieval Studies this Thursday and Friday and presenting a paper on step variation in the 15th-century saltarello at 1:30 Friday afternoon, session 301, "Riverenze e Spezzati: Challenges in Early Dance Research and Reconstruction."

I also expect to check in at the DISTAFF display/demo Thursday night at 5:45 to see the nifty textiles, but I haven't got a firm plan for anything else.  I'm flying out Friday night.

I would enjoy meeting any Kickery readers who might be attending the Congress, especially those who might be interested in furthering the study of dance history in academic settings.

Regency & Victorian Dance Workshops, NYC (Sunday, May 3, 2009)

I will be teaching two dance workshops for The Elegant Arts Society in New York City this Sunday, May 3rd.  Logistical details are below.

The first (1:00-3:45pm) will focus on the dances of the Regency era (1810-1820), including steps and figures for country dances and French quadrilles.  Specifically, we will dance and look at a step-sequences to use in Le Pantalon, L'Eté,  La Poule, and La Trenise (first through fourth figures of the French quadrille) and will enjoy a Spanish Dance and an 1816 version of the classic Money Musk as well as the Scotch Reel for six and -- numbers permitting -- the amazing reel for nine people (and one hat) known as the Bumpkin.

The second class (4:00-6:00pm) will cover the basic steps of the mazurka (primarily the promenade, but also including the tour sur place and possibly a bit of the valse mazurka) and several freestyle mazurka cotillion figures, including Le Grand Rond, Les Chaines Continues, La Genuflexion à Quatre, and the delightfully named L'X de Cavalier et de la Dame.  This will be a bouncy class with plenty of hops and small leaps.  Steps and figures are drawn from an 1847 Parisian dance manual by noted dancing master Henri Cellarius.

Both of the above are beginner-level classes, though the mazurka requires the ability to leap and hop.  No experience is needed, no partner is required, and clean leather-soled flat shoes (no high heels!) are recommended.  Gender balance is not guaranteed.

The classes are held at Dick Shea's (a capoeira studio), 104 W. 14th Street at 6th Avenue, New York City.  Ring buzzer #3, up 2 flights, first door on the right.  For more information, please email EAS.

The Regency class costs $18, or $12 for people attending for the first time; the Victorian class costs $15.

The Three-Step Boston or English Boston

Concluding a trio of posts on easy hesitation waltzes, here is the simplest hesitation at all: a normal waltz sequence stretched over two bars of music.  Albert Newman succinctly described the dance in his 1914 manual, Dances of To-Day:

In reality it is our Standard Waltz, but instead of taking two measures this Boston takes four measures.

What this works out to in practice is that the first step (forward or backward) of each half-turn is held for an entire bar (three counts) and the step to the side and close are done on the first and third counts of the second bar of music, with the overall rhythm being ONE-two-three-FOUR-five-SIX.  The three steps taken over two measures give the variation one of its names; I see nothing especially English about this that would account for the other.

The Pompadour Waltz

The Pompadour Waltz is a minor but interesting variation on the five-step Boston or five-step waltz described by Albert Newman in 1914 (and by me here).  I have found it only in the collection Dance Mad, or the dances of the day, compiled by F. Leslie Clendenen and published in St. Louis in 1914.

To perform the Pompadour, the dancers alternate brief hesitating grapevine sequences with the five-step Boston in an eight-bar sequence as described below.  The steps given are for the gentleman; the lady dances opposite.

The Five-Step Boston or Five-Step Waltz, 1914

In his 1914 manual, Dances of To-day, Philadelphia dancing master Albert W. Newman describes a four-bar waltz variation he calls the Five-Step Boston or Five-Step Waltz.  Unlike the five-step waltz of the mid-19th century or the half-and-half of the 1910s, this waltz is done in the usual 3/4 waltz time, spreading five movements out over the six counts of music.  This is a hesitation waltz movement, well-suited the fast waltzes of the early 20th century.   It is easy to learn and provides a pleasant break from constant fast spinning.

Regency & Victorian Dance Workshops, NYC (Sunday, April 5, 2009)

I will be teaching two dance workshops for The Elegant Arts Society in New York City this Sunday, April 5th.  Logistical details are below.

The first (1:00-3:45pm) will focus on the dances of the Regency era (1810-1820), including steps and figures for country dances and French quadrilles.  Specifically, we will dance and look at a step-sequences to use in La Poule and La Trenise (third and fourth figures of the French quadrille) and the fifth figure of The Caledonians and will enjoy a Spanish Dance and an 1816 version of the classic Money Musk as well as the Scotch Reel for six and the amazing reel for nine people (and one hat) known as the Bumpkin.

The second class (4:00-6:00pm) will cover an interesting mid-19th-century half-quadrille (two couples rather than four) known as L'Alliance, which symbolically takes dancers through the Crimean War via six figures with names like "L'Empereur" and "La Victoire."  This dance is done entirely with polka mazurka steps, so it will be a bouncy class with plenty of hops and small leaps.

Both of the above are beginner-level classes.  No experience is needed, no partner is required, and clean leather-soled flat shoes (not high heels) are recommended.  Gender balance is not guaranteed.

The classes are held at Dick Shea's (a capoeira studio), 104 W. 14th Street at 6th Avenue, New York City.  Ring buzzer #3, up 2 flights, first door on the right.  For more information, please email EAS.

The Regency class costs $18, or $12 for people attending for the first time; the Victorian class costs $15.

Side by Side in the Half and Half

The illustration at left is the last of a series of illustrations for the Half and Half taken from a small book of dance music published by Malvin M. Franklin in 1914.  For general information on dancing the Half and Half, an unusual 5/4 time waltz stepped on the first, fourth, and fifth beats, please see my previous post on basic traveling steps for the dance.

In the illustration, the dancers have moved from a normal ballroom hold into a variant side-by-side position in which the lady's left arm is stretched across the gentleman's shoulders to take his left hand at shoulder height, while their right hands are joined behind her back.  In this position they move forward together with a series of "alternating steps then sliding steps" before, presumably, resuming ballroom position to continue the dance.

Unfortunately, Franklin is not terribly clear on precisely how the dancers get into this position or out of it or, for that matter, precisely what the alternating and sliding steps they perform are.

Since the change of position adds pleasing variety to the dance, I spent some time figuring out how to make this work. 

California Bus Stop/California Hustle

Still working my way through my collection of 1970s line dances, here's another one from The Complete Book on Disco and Ballroom Dancing (1979).  The California Bus Stop, a.k.a. the California Hustle, is an easy thirty-six-beat dance.  It's most notable characteristic is that it features claps and stamps on every fourth beat throughout the first two parts of the dance.

La Troïka

Many people confuse the Polka russe with the Troïka.  I will say all the same that, at balls, when the Troïka is announced, almost everyone dances the Polka russe.  If the rhythm of the two dances is the same, the manner of executing them differs, in the sense that the one is danced by two people and the other by three...the word Troïka means three, which should prevent all confusion.
            -- Professor Barthélemy Bottallo, Paris, c1910-12 (my translation)

In the late 1890s and early 1910s a trio of French dancing masters included descriptions of the Troïka, a simple polka sequence for three, in their works on modern social dance.  This Parisian Troïka is not the same as the Russian folk dance of the same name, though obviously inspired by it, and the choreographic link with the Polka Russe further emphasizes the connection.  I have previously discussed the many variations of the Polka Russe found in late 19th and early 20th century dance manuals, but for those who wish to actually dance the Troïka, I will give a quick summary of that dance.

Polka Russe

The Polka russe is a dance much appreciated by good dancers; it is of great simplicity while appearing very complicated.
            -- Professor Barthélemy Bottallo, Paris, c1910-12 (my translation)

I kept tripping over descriptions of the Polka Russe in various sources while researching something else, so I finally decided to pull together all eight descriptions in a little overview.  This proved an interesting demonstration of the lack of standardization in nineteenth-century dance: while the sequences given by different authors (or sometimes by the same author) are clearly related, there are enough clear incompatibilities among the various descriptions that there is no way to determine a definitive version.

While its origins are unclear, the sources I have range from late 1880s New York to the Paris of the first decade of the 20th century, though the American and French versions differ significantly in dance position and modestly in step-sequence.

The Parisian form of the Polka Russe incorporates the earlier "heel and toe" or "Bohemian" polka, which is included in some of the descriptions under the name "polka piquée," while the two versions from New York are very similar to a two-step sequence developed by William Lamb in England in the late 1890s, Tres Chic, and Lamb's similar two-step/schottische hybrid, Tantivy, as well as the popular Washington Post (done to the Sousa tune of the same name), which has similar positioning and arm movements to the Parisian form of the Polka Russe.

The Pomander Walk

• Era: 1910s
• Dance: One-Step

The Pomander Walk is a one-step variation found in Albert Newman's Dances of to-day, published in Philadelphia in 1914, in which the dancers take, alternately, right- and left-side Yale position and walk around each other in circles.  The full sequence as described by Newman is as follows:

From a normal one-step, backing the lady, the dancers step out to Yale position, right side to right side, and walk in a straight line, the lady moving backward and the gentleman forward.  At some point, they begin to walk around each other in a circle, both moving forward.  Newman's illustration of this is shown at left.  The gentleman eventually makes an about-face -- the lady must as well, though Newman neglects to mention this -- leaving the dancers left side to left side, and they again move in a straight line with the lady going backward.  They make another circle, both dancers moving forward, followed by a position shift to return to facing each other and backing the lady.

Regency & Victorian Dance Workshops, NYC (Sunday, March 8, 2009)

I will be teaching two dance workshops for The Elegant Arts Society in New York City this Sunday, March 8th.  Logistical details are below.

The first (1:00-3:45pm) will focus on the dances of the Regency era (1810-1820), including steps and figures for country dances and French quadrilles.  Specifically, we will dance and look at a step-sequences to use in L'Été and La Finale (second and fifth figures of the French quadrille) and the fifth figure of The Caledonians and will enjoy a Spanish Dance and an 1816 version of the classic Money Musk as well as the Scotch Reel for six and the amazing reel for nine people (and one hat) known as the Bumpkin.

The second class (4:00-6:00pm) will be an unusual experience, as we will be teaching and dancing some of the many figures of the mid-19th century cotillion, also known as the German cotillion or simply Germans.  These are dance games done using basic steps of the waltz, polka, and mazurka in which the dancers change partners in various ways and dance figures that range from those found in quadrilles to those we think of as children's games today, though this class will focus more on the former than the latter, using figures drawn from mid-19th century French and English dance manuals.  Learn the secrets of La Phalange, Le Mouchoir, Le Chapeau Volant, L'X des Cavaliers, Les Genuflexions, La Double Pastourelle, and Les Chaines Continues.  Enough basic waltz and polka will be taught for students to be able to manage the figures.  Mazurka will be reserved for my May class, which will revisit many of the same figures using the steps of that lively dance.

Both of the above are beginner-level classes.  No experience is needed, no partner is required, and clean leather-soled flat shoes (not high heels) are recommended.  Gender balance is not guaranteed.

The classes are held at Dick Shea's (a capoeira studio), 104 W. 14th Street at 6th Avenue, New York City.  Ring buzzer #3, up 2 flights, first door on the right.  For more information, please email EAS.

The Regency class costs $18, or $12 for people attending for the first time; the Victorian class costs $15.

Lamb's Waltz Two Step

Here's an easy waltz variation from English dance teacher William Lamb's Everybody's Guide to Ball-Room Dancing (London c1898-1900).  The Waltz Two Step is a short sequence of two-step done in waltz time which can be used as a variation in a late 19th-century waltz or as a short standalone sequence dance.  Because the movements are quite slow-paced, it is best suited to extremely fast music. 

This sequence represents the an early form of "hesitation waltz" from before that term came into use in the 1910s.  In this case the normal two-step movement (briefly described in a previous post here) rather than being counted "1&2" in 2/4 rhythm, as is more typical in this era, is danced in 3/4 rhythm with each two-step stretched over two full bars of music, so that the slide-close-slide happens on the first, third, and fourth of the six beats.

Waltz Step, Galop Time

• Era: 1880s-1890s (America)

In his sizable manual of couple dance variations, Round Dancing (Portland, Maine, 1890), late 19th-century dancing master M.B. Gilbert describes the Waltz-Galop succinctly as:

Waltz step, Galop time

While no other dancing master that I have found includes the waltz-galop by name, the accenting of a waltz step done in duple rather than triple time is discussed by Allen Dodworth in Dancing and its relations to education and social life (1885, reprinted several times through 1900) and is included in dances such as the turn-of-the-century Pasadena, and the idea that waltz steps can be transposed from triple to duple and vice-versa dates back as far as the sauteuse waltz of the first quarter of the 19th century.

1880s Victorian Ball ~ New Haven, CT (February 28, 2009)

Coming up in just a couple of weeks:

On Saturday, February 28th, I will be precepting a Victorian ball in New Haven, Connecticut, for The Elegant Arts Society.  The theme is 1880s, the era of the bustle in ladies' costume, but period costume is not required - come have fun dancing regardless!  There will be live music from the wonderful dance musicians of Spare Parts and delicious refreshments made from Victorian recipes. 

Dances will include the waltz, polka, and schottische, plus the Polo Quadrille and the "star" figure described in an earlier article here, in the form of a waltz cotillion figure (German).

Beginners are completely welcome.  There will be an afternoon workshop for those wanting a some dance instruction before the evening.  The event is not gender-balanced, which experience suggests will result in more ladies than gentlemen in attendance (so if you are or have a gentleman who might want to dance...)  Formal dress is requested.

The cost is $25 per person in advance (more at the door), or $15 for those 21 and under.  A flier for the event may be downloaded here.

Lamb's American Schottische

English dance teacher William Lamb, in his Everybody's Guide to Ball-Room Dancing (London c1898-1900), published quite a few short dance sequences, most of limited interest to the average dancer.  His American Schottische has more potential than most of these because it does not involve any reverse-line-of-dance movement and thus can be easily used as a simple variation when dancing a late 19th-century schottische. 

Despite the name, there is nothing specifically American about this particular sequence, and it does not seem to have been taken up by other writers/compilers of dance manuals, even those who otherwise plagiarized Lamb quite freely.  I suspect it was not a particular hit, perhaps never having any life in period outside the pages of Lamb's book.  Nonetheless, I find it quite danceable and an interesting break from more typical schottische patterns.

Dance Flurry ~ Saratoga Springs, NY (February 13-15, 2009)

This weekend I'm off to the marvelous Dance Flurry in Saratoga Springs, New York, where I will be teaching a rather eclectic set of four sessions on material scattered across four and a half centuries of social dance from the mid-16th century to the present day.

10:00-11:15am Saturday
Cross-Step Waltz
This is a beautiful, flowing modern waltz form that works best with slow music and incorporates moves from many different dance forms.  I mostly do historical dance, but I have a special love for cross-step.  Musical accompaniment by Mary Lea & Peter Barnes.

10:00-11:15pm Saturday
Flashback! 1978 Disco Line Dances
For everyone who still feels nostalgic about Saturday Night Fever.  I've posted quite a few of these dances in the Disco category here on Kickery.  This session will use recorded music.

10:00-11:15am Sunday
Chiaranzana!  Italian Renaissance Contra
This is a multifigure (medley) longways progressive set dance from sixteenth-century Italy; contra/country dance format but with fancier steps and a more delicate style.  I probably can't teach the whole thing in an hour, so this will be an edited-down version.  Music will be provided by The Flying Romanos.

2:30-3:30pm Sunday
Waltz 101
Just what it sounds like!  Music provided by Jane's Gang.

The Flurry is a tremendously fun festival that takes over much of downtown Saratoga and covers a huge range of dance styles.  While it's not primarily focused on historical dance, I can't recommend it highly enough as an overall experience for general dance junkies like myself.  Check out the Flurry website for the full program and the list of performers.

The Line Walk

Here's another very basic line dance; any Kickery readers planning a 1970s-theme party are going to be all set this week.  This one is also from The Complete Book on Disco and Ballroom Dancing (1979).  It's thirty-eight beats long, but very easy, though the odd length means it will cross the phrase of the music.  That's not unusual in disco-era line dances but drives some people crazy.

Unusually, the Line Walk starts on the left foot.

The Disco Duck

Yes, here I go again with another easy line dance from The Complete Book on Disco and Ballroom Dancing (1979).  I actually like these dances (which date back to my childhood), though I don't usually do them in batches.  The immediate excuse for this extended excursion into the 1970s is that I'm going to be teaching an entire session of disco line dances a week or so from now at the Dance Flurry.  This one is twice as long as Hot Chocolate/Bonaparte's Retreat (described here and here) and has slightly harder steps and "quick-quick-slow" rhythm sections which make it a more interesting dance.

The obvious music is the song "Disco Duck" by Rick Dees, which was a top Billboard hit for a couple of months in 1976, but it will work to any piece of lively disco music.  Happily, the dance does not include any arm-flapping or other duck-like miming.

Bonaparte's Retreat

No, this has nothing to do with the Regency era!  This is one of a trio of easy line dances I've drawn from The Complete Book on Disco and Ballroom Dancing (1979).  It's only sixteen beats long; line dances don't get any easier than that.  The name supposedly derives from the floor pattern of the dance:

...first the dancers mobilize, as they move in a line down the side, then they "retreat" backward and perform a "holding" action, before wheeling to the left and "defending" in another direction.

I find it's best not to think too deeply about this.  The book states that it's also known as the "Hot Chocolate Line Dance," and it is in fact the same step pattern as the dance "Hot Chocolate" I described in a previous post.  (So yes, this is kind of a cheat of a post; the only new material here is the stuff above.)

Regency Tea Dance, Boston area (Sunday, February 8, 2009)

I will be teaching Regency-era dancing at an afternoon Tea Dance in West Newton, Massachusetts (Boston area) this Sunday afternoon, February 8th, from 2:00 to 5:00pm.  Dances will be drawn from the early nineteenth-century repertoire, including country dances of various kinds, quadrilles, oddities like Sir Roger de Coverley and La Boulanger, and perhaps a bit of the scandalous new couple dance of the era: the waltz!

No partner is needed and no experience is needed; the figures and the lively dance steps of the period will all be taught.  Period costume of the early 19th century is admired, but definitely not required.  The music will be recordings.  Delicious refreshments prepared according to period recipes will be provided.  Admission is $6, or $4 for students.

More information and directions to the site may be found here.  Read about how we won't be dancing here.

Regency & Victorian Dance Workshops, NYC (Sunday, February 1, 2009)

I will be teaching two dance workshops for The Elegant Arts Society in New York City this Sunday, February 1st.  Logistical details are below.

The first (1:00-3:45pm) will focus on the dances of the Regency era (1810-1820), including steps and figures for country dances and French quadrilles.  Specifically, we will dance and look at a step-sequences to use in L'Été and La Finale (second and fifth figures of the French quadrille) and the fifth figure of The Caledonians and will enjoy a Spanish Dance and an 1816 version of the classic Money Musk.

The second class (4:00-6:00pm) will be a review of some of the ballroom dances of the late nineteenth century (1880s).  Couple dances will include the polka, schottische, and galop, along with popular Victorian set dances such as the Polo Quadrille, Light Dragoon,  and the "star" cotillion figure.  This is in preparation for EAS's upcoming 1880s Bustle Ball on February 28th in New Haven, Connecticut (event flier here).

These are beginner-level classes.  No experience is needed, no partner is required, and clean leather-soled flat shoes (not high heels) are recommended.  Gender balance is not guaranteed.

The classes are held at Dick Shea's (a capoeira studio), 104 W. 14th Street at 6th Avenue, New York City.  Ring buzzer #3, up 2 flights, first door on the right.  For more information, please email EAS.

The Regency class costs $18, or $12 for people attending for the first time; the Victorian class costs $15.

Tantivy: The New Hunt Dance

• Era: late 1890s-1900 England/France

"Tantivy: The New Hunt Dance," was invented by English dancing master R. M. Crompton, later to become the first president of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and a part of the early 20th-century movement to keep ballroom dance out of the hands of the "wrong" people, which primarily meant American, and especially African-American, influences.  That was all in the future in the 1890s, however, when this dance first appeared.  It may have first been published in Crompton's own book, Theory and Practice of Modern Dancing (London, c1891).  Unfortunately, I do not have a copy of Crompton's work.  The dance, however, can be found in at least three other works of the late 19th century, attributed in each case to Crompton.

I first noticed Tantivy in T. Leggett Byrne's Terpsichore: Her Votaries and Fashions, published in London in 1899 (but with a preface dated to Dublin in 1898) and made available online by Chris Brady here.  A second source is Saxon's Everybody's Guide to Ball-Room Dancing, written by Crompton's contemporary William Lamb and published in London circa 1898-1900 (it is listed in The English Catalogue of Books for those years, which was published in 1901).  The description of the dance in these two sources is word-for-word identical.  Finally, Tantivy was included in the massive French tome Traité de la Danse,  published in Paris in 1900 as volume II of an immense work on dance by Eugène Giraudet that went through dozens of editions in the late 19th century.  Giraudet dates the dance to October, 1896.  While Crompton was certainly known to American dance teachers (Philadelphia dance teacher and writer Albert Newman claimed in the early 1910s to have received dances directly from him), I have not so far found this particular dance in any American source.

The word tantivy is associated with hunting in England, with an implication of going full-speed or headlong, as discussed by Michael Quinion at World Wide Words, and the dance does require a certain enthusiastic commitment to perform successfully!

The Très-Chic

• Era: late 1890s-early 1900s

"The Très-Chic is a dance for couples in six-eight time, and is of very animated and lively character."

With these words, William Lamb introduces "A new Round Dance for the Ball-Room."  Lamb was a noted English dance teacher and writer who served as president of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing.  The Très-Chic appeared in his book Saxon's Everybody's Guide to Ball-Room Dancing (London, c1898-1900; it is listed in the 1901 English Catalogue of Books for those years), from which it was blatantly plagiarized by two dance writers publishing in the American Midwest in the first few years of the twentieth century, including A.C. Wirth in his Complete Quadrille Call Book (Chicago, 1902) and D.F. Jay in his ABC Guide to Ballroom Dancing (Chicago, c1900), both using Lamb's language to describe the dance.  (Some biographical information about Wirth may be found in my earlier post on the Rye Waltz.)

Mr. Newman's Two-Step Variations

• Era: circa 1900

Given the popularity of the two-step in the early years of the 20th century, it is surprising how few variations were recorded for the dance.  But in his 1903 dance manual, A Complete Practical Guide to Modern Society Dancing, Philadelphia dancing master Albert W. Newman included two short and easy two-step sequences, the "Glide Two Step" and the "Military Two Step."

The basic turn of the century two-step (not the same as either today's country western "Texas Two-Step" or today's "Nightclub Two-Step") is a slide-close-slide, similar to the polka but performed smoothly with no hop, turning to the left or right as desired.  Newman specified that the "close" of the feet should be to third rear position, which happens fairly naturally if the leading foot is turned so that the toe points along the line of dance.  The steps are described below for the gentleman; the lady dances on opposite feet.

The Union Dance

• Era: 1860s-1880s

The Union Dance is a short, schottische-like dance sequence which I have found in only two sources: Thomas Hillgrove's 1863 A Complete Practical Guide to the Art of Dancing (pp. 170-171) and the 1883 Professor M.J. Koncen's Quadrille Call Book and Ball Room Guide (p. 89)  The latter is a compilation of numerous other sources and the instructions therein are nearly identical to the earlier ones, so Hillgrove may be regarded as the preferred source for dating this dance.  Given the timing and Hillgrove's location in New York, it is possible that the name of the dance was meant as a political statement, though it is also possible that it was simply the name of a tune to which it was danced or a completely random title.

The Pan-American Glide (a 1910s Schottische)

An early anniversary gift for Michelle & Peter, who asked about 1910s schottisches:

By the 1910s, the schottische had almost complete vanished from the ballroom floor.  But a few dancing masters were still creating variations, among them the "Pan-American Glide," published in the F. Leslie Clendenen's collection Dance Mad, or the Dances of the Day in St. Louis in 1914.  It is attributed to F.W. Bouley.

The name of the dance does not signify anything special about it choreographically.  It appears to merely be one of many uses of the term "Pan-American" in the early 20th century, playing off of the Pan American Union (so named in 1910) and the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo.

For music, any schottische tempo tune or two-step is suggested.  The couples start in closed ballroom hold, with their joined hands pointing along the line of dance.  There are four parts to the dance, each taking one (4/4) bar of music and making a standard four-bar schottische sequence:

1. Slide left to the side, close right to first position.  Repeat.  (count 1-2-3-4)

2. Turning two-step once around.  (count 1&2, 3&4)

3. Repeat first part (count 1-2-3-4)

(open out side by side facing line of dance)

4. Walk forward four steps (count 1-2-3-4)

At the end of the four walking steps, close up again to repeat from the beginning.

I'm not aware of any great popularity for this variation, and it's quite possible that it was never done anywhere other than in Mr. Bouley's lessons.  But it makes a particularly easy sequence for beginners and allows for a bit of schottische mixed into the usual dances of the 1910s.

The Rye Waltz

• Era: 1890s-1900s America (Midwest/West)

The Rye Waltz is a simple sequence dance dating to the late 19th century and done to a special arrangement of the tune "Coming Through the Rye" which alternates between duple (schottische or two-step) and triple (waltz) time.  The oldest description I have found is in E.H. Kopp's The American Prompter and Guide to Etiquette, which was published by the John Church Company, operating in Cincinnati, New York, and Chicago, in 1896.  Kopp called himself a "compiler" rather than an author, and attributes many of the dances in his book to other dancing masters, often lifting his text directly from their works.  Kopp attributed the Rye Waltz to A.C. Wirth, and his description is virtually identical to that found in Wirth's  Complete Quadrille Call Book and Dancing Master, published in Chicago in 1902 and reprinted in 1903.

Andrew Charles Wirth (right) taught dance in the Milwaukee area, and a contemporary biographical entry in the 1897 Men of Progress: Wisconsin (pages 167 & 168) states that he had written a book on dancing, so it is likely that the 1902 book is either a second work or a later edition of an older original.  Wirth and Kopp's books are among several of the 1890s and early 1900s from both America and England containing language which has clearly been copied directly from one to another, though it is not clear which was the original source and none other than Kopp and Wirth include the Rye Waltz.  In the absence of more definitive evidence, it is reasonable to consider Wirth the choreographer of the dance.

Regency & Victorian Dance Workshops, NYC (Sunday, January 4, 2009)

I will be teaching two dance workshops for The Elegant Arts Society in New York City this Sunday, January 4th.  Logistical details are below.

The first (1:00-3:45pm) will focus on the dances of the Regency era (1810-1820), including steps and figures for country dances, French quadrilles, and the nine-person reel known as The Country Bumpkin.  Specifically, we will dance and look at a step-sequences to use in L'Été and La Finale (second and fifth figures of the French quadrille) and will enjoy a Spanish Dance and an 1816 version of the classic Money Musk.

The second class (4:00-6:00pm) will be dedicated to the waltz styles of the last decades of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, when the older rotary style of waltz was giving way to the new waltz that eventually became today's ballroom dance.  We will also dance some of the easy choreographed waltz sequence dances that became popular during this period.

These are beginner-level classes.  No experience is needed, no partner is required, and clean leather-soled flat shoes (not high heels) are recommended.  Gender balance is not guaranteed.

The classes are held at Dick Shea's (a capoeira studio), 104 W. 14th Street at 6th Avenue, New York City.  Ring buzzer #3, up 2 flights, first door on the right.  For more information, please email EAS.

The Regency class costs $18, or $12 for people attending for the first time; the Victorian class costs $15.

A Regency "Sir Roger de Coverley"

In honor of the season...

In his Complete System of English Country Dancing, published circa 1815, Regency-era dancing master Thomas Wilson proclaimed of the dance "Sir Roger De Coverley" that it was

composed expressly for a finishing Country Dance, about 100 years ago, and derived its name from Addison's Sir Roger De Coverley; so frequently mentioned by him in his popular Essays in the Spectator, and is the only whole Dance given in this System. The Figures of which it is composed being permanent and unalterable, and thereby differing in its construction from all other Country Dances.

and explained its use as the final dance of the evening (or early morning, given the length of balls of the era):

At all Balls properly regulated, this Dance should be the finishing one, as it is calculated from the sociality of its construction, to promote the good humour of the company, and causing them to separate in evincing a pleasing satisfaction with each other.

A Fancy Medley (1893)

Throughout the mid- and late 19th century, dancing masters had mixed quadrille figures and couple dances such as the waltz, polka, schottische, and galop into single figures or entire quadrilles.  A popular variation on this idea was a "varieties" or medley quadrille in which each figure used a different kind of music and incorporated a different couple dance.  Such a one is this Fancy Medley, published in Boston in 1893 in The Prompter’s Handbook by J.A. French.  The three figures of the quadrille include a polka figure, a schottische figure, and a waltz figure.  The original instructions may be seen here (page one) and here (page two).  The individual figures are quite similar to some of French's single-figure quadrilles, such as the Waltz Quadrille and Polka Quadrille discussed in earlier posts here (waltz) and here (polka) and bear a close family resemblance to other single-figure quadrilles of the era.

Regency & Victorian Dance Workshops, NYC (Sunday, December 7, 2008)

I will be teaching two dance workshops for The Elegant Arts Society in New York City this Sunday, December 7th.  Logistical details are here.

The first (1:00-3:45pm) will focus on the dances of the Regency era (1810-1820), including steps and figures for country dances, French quadrilles, and the nine-person reel known as The Country Bumpkin.  Specifically, we will look at a variety of step-sequences to use for L'Été (second figure of the French quadrille) and will enjoy a new Spanish Dance and the 1816 version of the classic Money Musk.

The second class (4:00-6:00pm) will be dedicated to two dance forms of the 1830s, the very beginning of Queen Victoria's reign.  We will enjoy a lively circular galopade, with quadrille-like figures interspersed with galops around the room, followed by some complex figures of a stately polonaise, a processional dance which was the immediate ancestor of the Grand March.

These are beginner-level classes.  No experience is needed, no partner is required, and clean leather-soled flat shoes (not high heels) are recommended.  Gender balance is not guaranteed.

Light Dragoon

• Era: 1850s-1860s America

"Light Dragoon" is an easy mid-19th century American country (contra) dance, one of a lengthy list of contra/country dances given in two manuals attributed to Elias Howe.  In one of the two, it is cryptically labeled "Pinkerton;" possibly this is the name of the choreographer of the dance.  It is performed in a longways set of any length, though four to six couples is easiest.  All couples are "proper," with the men standing to the left of their partners when all are facing the top of the room.

A Polka Quadrille (1893)

By the end of the 19th century,  many quadrilles were being published that didn't follow the earlier form of having multiple separate figures.  Although this short dance does have two distinct parts, they are treated as one long figure.  The source of the dance is The Prompter’s Handbook by J.A. French, published in Boston in 1893.  The original instructions may be seen here.  There are significant similarities in the figures to the Waltz Quadrille from the same source, which I described in an earlier post, as well a a generic similarity to other one-figure quadrilles of the late 19th century, which typically involve a mix of very simple figures interspersed with the entire set dancing in couples (waltz, polka, galop, etc., depending on the type of quadrille).