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May I Have This Dance?

By Bill Thornbrook
Edited by Judy Gonyeau

Figs. 1-3. Madame Soutten’s Ball Room Guide, or The Manual of the Ball Room: Containing the Newest and Most Fashionable Dances (London,1855)
The tiny 3 x 4 inch book provides a description of the popular dances of the early Victorian era as well a brief history of dance, a discussion of dance etiquette and a glossary
of French dance terms. The American purchaser of this copy of Madame Soutten’s ballroom dance guide no doubt hoped to emulate the attractive young Victorian couple fea-
tured on the book’s frontispiece. madame Soutten’ included notes for performing several popular dances of the day. By the 1840s “Madame”—herself a former ballerina—
maintained a dance academy at her private Cavendish Square residence in London’s fashionable West End. There she instructed the gentry in the intricacies of mazourkas
and quadrilles on Tuesday and Friday afternoons.

t seems as if every year concludes with short days and a long holiday worked the arc of society itself—showing off their status, making social
season seemingly crammed with more social occasions than the and business alliances, and essentially ensuring their family was known
Icalendar can possibly accommodate. For some, these events may for having a high degree of importance. The height of The Season was
include a fancy New Year’s Eve ball. But even those of us who stay home defined as taking place from Easter through the end of July. Young
to watch the Times Square ball drop on TV will recognize that women were introduced to society, homes were decorated in the latest
opportunities for couples to come together can extend well beyond First styles, afternoon teas and drives through the park were a must-attend
Night. The chance to dance may arise at any season of the year with event, and power fought with power using civility as a tool.
proms, weddings, and similar celebrations. At the center of this whirlwind were the events of The Season – the
galas and balls where highly decorated ballrooms hosted well-dressed
The Season couples as they executed elaborate dance steps in tandem to the music of
The tradition of “formals” persists today, but arguably the heyday of a live orchestra (Figs. 1-3). Securing partners for dancing the night away
such galas was the Victorian era, both in Europe and the United States. was a calculated skill that waxed and waned on the suitability of the
In England, “The Season” was recognized as a time when families suitor and also a consideration for the opinions of family and friends.

4. 5. 6.

Fig. 4. Ticket and dance card folder issued to attendees of “Our Social Hop.” at Curtis’ Hall, apparently in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, hosted this event in January
of 1874. The cardstock booklet opens to a program listing the order of individual dances to be performed, with spaces for writing the names of intended dance partners. The
word “hop” refers to a casual dance event. Fig. 5. Niagara Falls and gold overprinting decorate this attractive souvenir dance card booklet from the “Annual May Party” at the
Union House in Cuttingsville, Vermont, 1892. Too pretty to be thrown away, it has been preserved for 130 years so far. Fig. 6. “Pencil me in!” Dance cards like this,
presenting the order of dances for the evening, were usually enfolded into a souvenir cover. Attached by a tasseled cord, the pencil was used to sign up partners for individual
dances in advance. An especially popular partner might soon have to respond, “My dance card is full!”

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