Historical Balls & Other Events

Below is a list of upcoming historical balls, one-shot workshops, and costumed social events (primarily dance-oriented) in the Northeastern United States.

For events outside this area, please see our Other Groups page.

For historical dance weeks all over the world, please see our Dance Weeks page.

For SCA events in the Northeast, please see The East Kingdom Event List.

Events are often specific to period and period costume is always encouraged and occasionally required; please check individual listings for details. Some events are gender-balanced - men and women are admitted in equal numbers. This generally means that couples should register together and often single women have a difficult time getting in unless they find a male registration partner.

Sunday, April 13, 2008
Tea Dance: King Tut in New York, 1920s
First Unitarian Society of Newton, 1326 Washington Street
West Newton, Massachusetts (Boston area)
Sponsored by Eclectic Enterprises and The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers
2:00-5:00pm

Regular second Sunday series, October-April. Informal dancing to recorded music, some teaching, light refreshments. Period day costume encouraged but not required. Please, no jeans or t-shirts. Theme is Egyptian, in honor of the sponsorship of the Carter expedition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Teacher will be Marc Casslar. $6 per person. Site is T-accessible and has free parking. For more information, call Michael at (617) 964-7684 or see the tea dance flier.



Saturday, April 19, 2008
Fourth Annual Grand Civil War Ball
The Century Club, 612 Jefferson Avenue
Scranton, Pennsylvania
8:00 pm
Sponsored by the Delaney Delacy Guard, Sons of Veterans Reserve, and the Lackawanna Historical Society

Formal Civil War era ball with live music by Spare Parts. Period dress/dress blues admired but not required. $35 per person/$60 per couple through April 1st. Same afternoon dance workshop $10 per person or $15/couple. Send checks payable to "Lackawanna Historical Society Civil War Ball" to 232 Monroe Avenue, Scranton, PA, 18510. A series of pre-ball dance workshops will be offered in March and April. For more information, contact John or Jennifer Ochman at (570) 655-6340 or via email. A ball flier is here.



Saturday-Sunday, April 26-27, 2008
Cape May Victorian Weekend
Cape May, New Jersey

Kick up your heels as they did in Cape May more than a the century ago. Three dance workshops Saturday, formal ball Saturday evening, tea dance Sunday. Dance instruction and ball precepting by Chris Imersheim with live music by Spare Parts. Refreshments served at the ball and tea dance. Period costume is highly encouraged. For more information, please see the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts website.



Friday-Sunday, April 25-27, 2008
Historical Dance Workshops at The New England Folk Festival (NEFFA)
Mansfield, Massachusetts (Boston area)

Susan de Guardiola will teach The Royal Scotch Quadrilles, a Regency era set of quadrilles, Friday from 9-9:50pm. Michael Bergman will lead a ragtime dance Saturday from 8:30-9:05pm. Members of The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers will teach Civil War-era dances from 6:00-6:50pm on Saturday and will perform during the 7:30-8:30pm performance block that evening. The festival also includes plenty of other dancing of all kinds. For more information on the festival, please see the NEFFA website.



Saturday, July 12, 2008
16th Annual Nahant Victorian Day Ball
Nahant Town Hall
Nahant, Massachusetts (Boston area)
7:00-10:30pm

Formal 1860s summer ball with live music by Spare Parts Formal or semi-formal dress is requested; period dress of the 1860s is encouraged. A brief workshop will be held from 3:00-5:00pm the afternoon of the ball. Contra dances and the Nahant Quadrilles will be called during the ball. $20/person ($10/students) if registered in advance; $25/$15 at the door. Refund policy: with 24 hours cancellation notice only. Spectators (no fee) are welcome - there is a balcony with a lovely view. Well-behaved and supervised children are welcome. Make checks payable to Vintage Victorian and send to: P.O. Box 9, Nahant, MA 01908. The event website with much additional information on costumes and visiting Nahant is here. For additional information, call Ben or Katy at (781) 593-3038 or email Katy.



Sunday, July 13, 2008
Victorian Tea & Games
Nahant, Massachusetts (Boston area)
1:00-4:00pm (weather permitting)

Join Katy & Ben Bishop for a tea and refreshments, enjoy croquet and other outdoor games, or bring your Victorian bathing suit for a dip in the Atlantic. There is no charge for this event, but the Bishops would appreciate knowing in advance who is planning to attend. Dress may be modern or any period Summer wear. More information about this event and the ball the prior evening is here. For additional information, call Ben or Katy at (781) 593-3038 or email Katy.



Saturday-Sunday, October 18-19, 2008
Sixth Annual Regency Assembly
Trinity Lutheran Church, 292 Orange Street
New Haven, Connecticut
Sponsored by The Elegant Arts Society

Formal early 19th-century ball with live music by Spare Parts and precepting by Susan de Guardiola. Afternoon workshop (free to ball attendees) in the steps and dances for the evening. Regency-era or modern formal attire requested. Period refreshments will be served. Sunday, strolling in the park (weather permitting) then refreshments and period gaming. Further details and registration information will be announced in August, 2008.



[a Saturday in November - date TBA]
12th Annual Victorian Day Ball
Canfield Casino
Saratoga Springs, New York
7:00pm-Midnight
Sponsored by the Victorian Social Club

No information has yet been announced for 2008; below is the information for 2007.
Formal Victorian ball with live music by Out of Time and precepting by Terry & Jim Historical Dance Preceptors. Civil War Era or Victorian period or modern formal dress is encouraged. No prior dance experience necessary. Elegant refreshments will be served. Tickets are $75 per person ($90 at the door) or $55 per person under 18 years old. ($70 at the door). This ball is to benefit the Saratoga Springs History Museum. For more information or a the ticket order form, please email Betsy.



[a Saturday in November - date TBA]
11th Annual Autumn Harvest Ball
1st Church of Jamaica Plain (Unitarian-Universalist)
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts (Boston area)
7:30pm-11pm (potluck dinner 5:00-7:00pm, waltzes 7:15-7:30pm)
Sponsored by Chris Ricciotti & John Burrows

No information has yet been announced for 2008; below is the information for 2007.
Gender-role-free Victorian ball with calling by Chris Ricciotti and live music by Spare Parts. Period, formal, or festive attire encouraged. $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Ball is preceded by a candlelit potluck dinner; dessert potluck at 9:30pm. For more information, please contact Chris Ricciotti at (781) 982-8042 or by by email.



Saturday, November 22, 2008
Remembrance Day Ball
Gettysburg Hotel
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
8:30pm-Midnight (reception & dinner beforehand)

No information has yet been announced for 2008; below is the information for 2007.
Formal Victorian ball precepted by Susan de Guardiola with live music by Music Americana. 19th century attire required. The ball is preceded by a reception at 6:00pm and a formal dinner at 7:00. $50 per person; advance purchase required. Attendance is limited to 160. A photographer will be available. A downloadable ball flyer is here. For more information, please email John Newbold or see the event website. Pictures from previous years are here.



Friday, November 28, 2008
17th Century Country Dancing at Darkover Grand Council Meeting
Holiday Inn
Timonium, Maryland
4:00pm-6:00pm

This informal event is restricted to day or weekend members of the Darkover Grand Council Meeting and will be prompted by Susan de Guardiola. Social workshop on half a dozen of the earliest known English country dances. Casual dress. Live music! (Why is this event at a science fiction convention?)



Saturday, November 29, 2008
Regency Ball at Darkover Grand Council Meeting
Holiday Inn
Timonium, Maryland
5:00pm-7:00pm

This ball is restricted to day or weekend members of the Darkover Grand Council Meeting and will be prompted by Susan de Guardiola. Period costume encouraged but not required. Live music. Pre-ball workshop 11:00am-1:00pm. Note that Regency events at conventions will generally not involve anything but Regency dance figures - steps are left out to simplify teaching to beginners. (Why is this event at a science fiction convention?)



[date TBA - March 2009]
1880s Victorian Bustle Ball
Pratt Hall, 311 Temple Street
New Haven, Connecticut
8:00-11:00pm
Sponsored by The Elegant Arts Society

This is the information from 2008. No information for 2009 is available yet, but we expect this event to recur.
Formal Victorian ball of the 1880s with live music by Spare Parts and calling by Susan de Guardiola. Dances will include the Polo Quadrille and the "star" cotillion. Scrumptious Victorian refreshments will be served. Costume of the period (bustles for the ladies) is encouraged but not required; formal dress is requested. Indoor-only or cleaned shoes, please, to preserve the floor. No partner is required and beginners are welcome. A workshop in the basic dances of the era (including the "star" cotillion and the Polo Quadrille) will be offered the afternoon of the ball (free with ball registration). There will also be a workshop in New York City on March 2nd. Pre-registration price for the ball is $25 per person; $15 if under 21; $30 at the door. Please make checks payable to The Elegant Arts Society and mail with name(s), address, and email of registrants to P.O. Box 1186, New York, NY 10159. Advance registration is fully refundable through March 22, 2008; after that, credit towards future EAS events or workshops only.