Turning this                                       ...         into this!

Young ladies learn to cursty          ... and young gentlemen learn to bow.

  Just one day in the gym and they were ready to dance outside in a
program the school calls 'Alive in '75'.

I took half the class for a fencing lesson (stage prop) which dancing masters gave to provide a duelist with poise and balance.

 Nancy and Katie talked to the other half about the hard work women did spinning and making cloth. All students spun a book mark using drop spindals.

     Dancing to beautiful 18th century music played on fiddle and cello by the Bell family!

We have been playing for years together (!) and have a wonderful program that links dancing, bowing and curtsying into colonial history. George Washington was famous the world around for dancing. Look how closely Franklin is watched as he enters a room. How you carrried yourself, your grace and carriage were so important!

The dances were often very complex! Here is the notation for the Minuet for which Washington was noted! We also pass around a copy of his manners book.

Usuing beautiful prints, we compare Washington's dancing to the same country dancing that brought farming folk together ...

... and how the same dances kept the aspiring class separated from them!

We pass out these beautiful prints and ask the students if they can find the following :  a proud parent;  a pile of hats;  tortured feet and a shrunken fiddle!

We supply the music for all the dances and encourage any musicians to play along with us on their 'Colonial Day'. Here is one of the pieces, published in 1620 to a dance that was recorded in 1450 . It was danced by Elizabeth l, and is mentioned in one of Shakespear's plays!

We are thinking of putting together a series of movie clips which show dance scenes through the ages and include Pride and Prejudice, Felicity, and Shakespear in Love with a few Elizabethan dance videos.

RECOMMENDATIONS

"The assembly and dancing were huge successes.   The teachers are already talking about next year!"
- Carol Greenfield who wrote the grant for 'Alive in '75'

"I can't belive the boys are so keen to learn how to bow and be civil to the ladies! "
-teacher's comment.

"I liked the sword fighting best!  - much repeated comment from the boys!"

Invite the English Dancing Master  to your school this summer!  Call the colonial gent on his cell phone!
 978 828 0037