Whom for?

The workshop is primarily meant for dancers who cannot take part in the monthly workshops preparing dances for Chestnut’s 4th Costume Ball, either because they are not available or because they live too far. However, dancers unable to come to the Costume Ball on May 26 are welcome to take part and learn the dances. Please note, in any case, that the workshop is meant for experienced dancers who fully master basic figures and progression in duple and triple minor sets.

Registration will be closed on April 8, 2013. We advise you to register as soon as possible: there will be a limited number of participants.

Programme: The programme is that of Chestnut’s fourth Costume Ball, to be held in Paris, at Cité Internationale Universitaire (Paris 14), on May 26, 2013. It is the same as for our monthly half-day workshops for experienced dancers. The dances are difficult ones, very interesting for all who like English country dancing, whether they attend the Costume Ball or not. They include:

Four set dances: Althea 2013, Lady’s Banbury’s Hornpipe, Dull Sir John and The Merry Milkmaids 2013, all out of Playford’s first four editions.

Three longways duple minor set: Wives’ Victory, The Spring and Doctor Faustus’s Jig (out of Thomas Braye’s and John and William Neal’s editions) and a longways triple minor set out of the Dancing Master: Shropshire Round.

Two beautiful modern dances: A Maggot for Mr Purcell and Dear Papa and Dear Mama. The 20th century choreographies are resp