The Parish Hall of Mount Carmel Congregational Church
3284 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06518
Afternoon workshop: 2:00-4:00pm
Ball: 8:00-11:00pm
Tickets for the ball are now on sale!
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Welcome to A Centennial Ball: 1776 / 1876. We are holding a ball in the style of the actual Centennial Balls held in 1876 to celebrate the hundredth birthday of the United States of America!
The Centennial Ball will be an 1876 “fancy dress” ball, the Victorian equivalent of a costume party, with a 1776 theme. As at the original balls, attendees are welcome to wear costume of the 1870s or costume of the 1770s. Our site is air-conditioned so all will be comfortable in their finery! Modern formal is also acceptable, and no one should feel reluctant to come for lack of a specific historical costume. Some basic costume advice is on our Costume page, with more to come as the ball approaches!
As was true at the original Centennial Balls, the dances will be a mix of late nineteenth century contra dances, quadrilles (square dances), and couple dances (waltz, polka, schottische), possibly with a dance or two from 1776 mixed in. Contra dances and quadrilles of this era are based on walking steps and are very beginner-friendly. Music for the ball will be provided by the experienced dance musicians of Spare Parts: Liz Stell on flute, Bill Matthiesen on keyboard, and Eric Buddington on violin.
All dances except the waltz will be taught at the ball by our professional dance caller, Susan de Guardiola. A little bit of advance practice will make the evening go more smoothly and those who are not experienced at late nineteenth-century dancing feel more relaxed and confident. 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 if possible.
Tickets for the ball are now on sale! The ticket price of $50/person includes the dance workshop on the afternoon of the ball, an evening of dancing and light refreshments (there will be cake!), and a souvenir dance card. The prep class in Middletown on July 19th may also be purchased separately at the advance price of $15. Ticket sales are strictly limited to 50 people so we have room to dance comfortably.
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 to celebrate America’s 100th birthday with us!
Shop online for ball tickets at our Tickets page