A Centennial Ball: 1776 to 1876

Saturday, July 25th, 2026
Afternoon workshop: 2:00-4:00pm
Ball: 8:00-11:00pm

The Parish Hall of Mount Carmel Congregational Church
3284 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06518

Welcome to A Centennial Ball: 1776-1876. We will be holding a ball in the style of the balls held in 1876 to celebrate the Centennial of the United States of America! We’re still in the planning stages, so check back in early April for more information and ticket sales!

The Centennial Ball will be a “fancy dress” ball, and costume in the style of either 1876 or 1776 is strongly encouraged, though modern formal is also acceptable. A page with costume tips is coming soon!

Dances at the ball will be a mix of late nineteenth century set dances (contra dances & quadrilles) and couple dances (waltz, polka, schottische), possibly with a dance or two from 1776 mixed in. A preparatory workshop will be held in Middletown, Connecticut, on July 19th, along with the workshop on the afternoon of the ball. We encourage everyone to attend one or both of these workshops. All dances will be taught at the ball by our professional dance caller, Susan de Guardiola, but advance practice will make the evening go more smoothly, especially if you are not experienced at late nineteenth-century dancing.

We are delighted to announce that music for the ball will be provided by the fantastic dance trio Spare Parts: Liz Stell on flute, Bill Matthiesen on keybord, and Eric Buddington on violin.

The base ticket price includes the dance workshop on the afternoon of the ball, an evening of dancing and light refreshments, and a souvenir dance card. The prep class in Middletown on July 19th may be purchased separately.

Ticket sales are strictly limited to 50 people so we have room to dance comfortably. Tickets will go on sale in early April! To receive an email announcement when sales open, contact us to be added to the mailing list.

This event is intended for adults, but mature young people ages 13-17 may attend as full participants in the company of a parent or guardian and should dress appropriately to the event.

We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor!