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The 2002 Participants:
- Tina Bates, Curator for Ontario History, Canadian Museum of Civilization,
"Real Men Waltz: Dance and Deportment from the Minuet to the Polka."
- Peter and Miyoko Twist, "Costumes of the Canadas in the 18th
& 19th centuries.
- Melanie Garrison, co-ordinator of the Volunteer Historic Dance programme
at Fort York will lead the dance workshops.
- Ken Purvis, senior military interpreter at Fort York and member of
Marlarky and its new incarnation, Gin Lane, will lead musicians playing
authentic period instruments.
The Schedule, January 26, 2002:
12:00 - 1:00 pm Registration and Absolute Beginners Workshop
(if you have never done English Country Dancing before it is strongly
recommended that you participate in this workshop)
1:00 - 1:45 pm Presentation: Tina Bates - Real Men Waltz
1:45 - 2:30 pm Presentation: Peter and Miyoko Twist - Costumes
2:30 - 2:45 pm Break with Refreshments
2:45 - 4:45 pm English Country Dance Workshop
4:45 - 6:00 pm Break - Lounge area available for informal discussion
6:00 - 6:30 pm Cash Bar
6:30 - 7:30 pm Supper "A Profusion of Every Delicacy"
7:30 - 10:30 pm "An Elegant Ball" - period costumes encouraged
The Banquet: "A Profusion of Every Delicacy":
Presented by Jessup
Food & Heritage. "A profusion of every delicacy" was
the term used to describe the midnight supper served at one Queen's Birthday
ball in York (Toronto) in January of 1817. In re-creating the supper for
Queen Charlotte's Ball, the organizers have specifically chosen foods,
their methods of preparation and the manner in which they are served,
to reflect the Georgian culinary style. Vegetarian selections will be
made available to those who request it on their registration forms. In
preparing this menu account was taken of the extent of the British empire
at the time -- the sun really didn't set on it -- as well as the season.
Expect humble parsnips, potatoes, onions and rutabagas from local larders
cheek by jowl with the products of the more exotic colonies -- curries,
coffee, chocolate, vanilla, dates and almonds from the furthest
reaches of the empire. Pears poached in port, anyone?
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An Elegant Ball: The dances in the workshop and at the
ball are taken from original dance manuals of the late 18th and early
19th centuries. Some are the actual dances mentioned in diary excerpts
and newspaper accounts of balls from the period, e.g. Jupon Rouge
and Tars of the Victory.
English Country Dance of the late 18th and early 19th century differs
from the modern Cecil Sharp - Playford style of dance frequently practiced
today. Originally, only one couple began the dance, and progressed
through the figures until there were two active couples, then three, then
four and so on until all the couples are involved. At Fort York,
dances will be danced in smaller sets, in this historic style, and not
in "take hands four from the top" style.
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This couple were celebrating the lady's own birthday -- they'd wanted to
do something special because it was 'one of those ones with a zero at the
end' and she'd seen the poster and thought it looked like fun. He admitted
that if anyone had told him a month before that he'd be wearing purple velvet
knee-breeches he'd have told them they were crazy. Originally they'd planned
to wear modern formal dress, but the closer it got the more they figured,
why not? So they rented these costumes.
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The colour co-ordination was just luck, he told me, "It was the only
one left in my size."
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