The Flair
of Brisk Dancing
An Introduction to All Dances of the Ball
I. The Spirited Defilee:
All Dances in a Single Day
II. The Dances around 1750
III. The Enticements of Our Purveyor to the Court
I. The Spirited Defilee:
All Dances in a Single Day
The repertoire, meticulously curated by myself, breathes new life into those dances that flourished at the courts of Europe between 1730 and 1780. Even though all these choreographies shall be celebrated upon the parquet on the evening of the grand ball, it proves exceedingly entertaining and beneficial even for the seasoned dancer to briskly traverse the entire program in advance.
In a relaxed atmosphere, we shall run through all the dances once or twice. This provides a most excellent opportunity to familiarize oneself with the subtle nuances and specific variations—one might think, for instance, of my rather unique and charming interpretation of "Mr. Beveridge’s Maggot". Furthermore, this gathering holds another inestimable advantage: you shall already acquaint yourself with the other guests of our society. For, as we all know from experience, the sparkling night of the ball always passes far too swiftly.
This course is dedicated to a brisk, yet perpetually elegant dancing through of all the ball dances, united with the ladies and gentlemen of the preparation course. Naturally, anyone who is unable to attend the evening ball event is also most cordially invited to join our circle and savor the beauty of these dances with us.
During our instruction, we shall predominantly employ the German language. At the ball itself, the calls shall resonate bilingually—in German and English—whereby I strictly adhere to the historical English designations of the dance figures, entirely faithful to the catalogues of the epoch. So that you may prepare yourself completely, the compiled dance descriptions shall be sent to you in good time beforehand and presented upon our website.
II. The Dances around 1750
Authentic records of ball programs from that era are exceedingly rare; we generally know them only from the dance cards of the nineteenth century. Our selection for the ball is therefore a carefully calculated composition: we unite the choreographies of German dance masters with French contredanses—after all, France, even under Louis XV, significantly dictated the style of the European courts. To maintain a program that is sophisticated yet accessible to everyone, we round it off with several lighthearted English country dances.
III. The Enticements
of Our Purveyor to the Court
What would the anticipation of a ball be without the fitting, refined props? To render the intervals between the dances as pleasurable as possible for you, the stall of our in-house "Purveyor to the Court" opens its doors. Here, a select assortment of fine fabrics, historical playing cards for cultivated amusement, and a multitude of other charming accessories that make the heart of the epoch beat faster awaits you for extensive browsing.
A minor, yet exceedingly important detail in passing: As the treasuries of our purveyor to the court are virtually overflowing, we are regrettably precluded from taking the entire assortment with us on our journey. We therefore ask for your understanding that we can solely bring those Venetian masks for your inspection which you specify to us in advance. Also concerning our fine fabrics and other precious items, you are always on the safe side with a brief prior notice, should you have set your sights on a very specific piece.
But beware, do not fall into the trap of modern mercantile techniques! Please do not conclude a regular order via the system of our online boutique for these requests. It is entirely sufficient if you informally notify us of your one or two preferred mask models—or other desires—via message. We shall then pack these with the utmost care and entirely without obligation for your personal fitting in Eichstätt.
Promenade digitally through our assortment in advance, choose your favorites, and let us know:
Click here for our mask department