Regency dance class
Sep. 12th, 2004 05:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rmWent to my Regency dance class (after a bit of mad wandering about the city which involved Sansha having moved, their new location not being open, and the people at Capezio being their usual "buy Capezio" selves while I was all like "no... Bloch owns me"), and it was the greatest thing ever.
The class was small (apparently much smaller than usual), and wildly gender unbalanced (this thought apparently swings all over the map, from too many girls to too many boys), but this was only really problematic when we worked on the waltzes (which are nothing like a modern waltz) and really needed people who knew what they were doing and new how to lead.
Many things were startling about the experience as a whole. First, at this period in time ballet and social dance had not entirely seperated themselves yet, and as such there were a lot of similarities in the movement of feet, but significant differences in the stances and force of movements. I had to struggle to be less athletic (I assure you, a novel problem for me).
While much of the dances involve matters of patterns, they are surprisingly tiring to do (we worked on French Quadrilles, Scottish Country Dances and the waltzes), and the three hour class was actually a massive workout, although mainly aerobically and for the calves (something my riding instructor won't mind in the least).
What was perhaps particularly surprising was the degree to which doing the dances informed me so much, on an innate, non-verbal level about the period. As much as I've been immersed in all this Napoleanic era stuff right now (HH and Vanity Fair), moving as these people would move, even in modern clothes, with music on a persnickety stereo in a weird little dance studio west of Eight Avenue in the theatre district, just brought it all so much more to life for me. It was really neat.
People were kind, and welcoming. And now I've just got to cajole other people into doing this with me, both for the next class (October 3rd) and the Assembly in CT on the 16th. Well, that and sewing. And learning more period card games for the gaming parlor (they're all much easier than I thought... at least as their basic level... certainly I love the Internet for all the random arcane knowledge you can teach yourself in ten minutes or less).
The class was small (apparently much smaller than usual), and wildly gender unbalanced (this thought apparently swings all over the map, from too many girls to too many boys), but this was only really problematic when we worked on the waltzes (which are nothing like a modern waltz) and really needed people who knew what they were doing and new how to lead.
Many things were startling about the experience as a whole. First, at this period in time ballet and social dance had not entirely seperated themselves yet, and as such there were a lot of similarities in the movement of feet, but significant differences in the stances and force of movements. I had to struggle to be less athletic (I assure you, a novel problem for me).
While much of the dances involve matters of patterns, they are surprisingly tiring to do (we worked on French Quadrilles, Scottish Country Dances and the waltzes), and the three hour class was actually a massive workout, although mainly aerobically and for the calves (something my riding instructor won't mind in the least).
What was perhaps particularly surprising was the degree to which doing the dances informed me so much, on an innate, non-verbal level about the period. As much as I've been immersed in all this Napoleanic era stuff right now (HH and Vanity Fair), moving as these people would move, even in modern clothes, with music on a persnickety stereo in a weird little dance studio west of Eight Avenue in the theatre district, just brought it all so much more to life for me. It was really neat.
People were kind, and welcoming. And now I've just got to cajole other people into doing this with me, both for the next class (October 3rd) and the Assembly in CT on the 16th. Well, that and sewing. And learning more period card games for the gaming parlor (they're all much easier than I thought... at least as their basic level... certainly I love the Internet for all the random arcane knowledge you can teach yourself in ten minutes or less).
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no subject
Date: 2004-09-12 03:15 pm (UTC)But period card games!
no subject
Date: 2004-09-12 03:18 pm (UTC)I've tought myself to play Whist now... but we need four for that... you should totally cone to the thing in CT (that's where the gaming room is and the live music and all)... and while costumes are encouraged, they're not required. Besides... it's an east time period to whip something up for.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-12 03:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-12 03:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-12 03:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-12 03:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-12 09:32 pm (UTC)possible small world moment
Date: 2004-09-12 09:18 pm (UTC)Re: possible small world moment
Date: 2004-09-12 09:20 pm (UTC)Re: possible small world moment
Date: 2004-09-13 05:07 am (UTC)Re: possible small world moment
Date: 2004-09-13 06:26 am (UTC)Among other things, she seems very perceptive.