“Top couple too; with a good stiff piece of work cut out for them; three or four and twenty pair of partners; people who were not to be trifled with; people who would dance, and had no notion of walking.” -- Dance at the Fezziwigs, A Christmas Carol

Dance Class: The dance lesson class will immediately follow check-in, from 10 am to noon on Saturday. During the class, the dance teacher will instruct participants on some of the more complicated dances. Regular street clothes are suitable for this class.

Even if you have attended the ball and the class in previous years, this class is required for participation in the ball, as there are several complicated dance steps that we all, new and old, need to learn and practice together.

For extra practice in period dances, check with local dance teachers who may be conducting classes with others preparing for the ball. One historical dance teacher we are aware of is Adventures in Dance.

Some People Might Surprise You
"But if they had been twice as many: ah, four times: old Fezziwig would have been a match for them, and so would Mrs. Fezziwig. As to her, she was worthy to be his partner in every sense of the term. If that's not high praise, tell me higher, and I'll use it."

-- Dance at the Fezziwigs, A Christmas Carol

"Suddenly Uncle George did a pigeon wing, and bowing low before Grandma he began to jig. Grandma tossed her spoon to somebody. She put her hands on her hips and faced Uncle George, and everybody shouted. Grandma was jigging.

"Laura clapped her hands in time to the music, with all the other clapping hands. The fiddle sang as it had never sung before. Grandma's eyes were snapping and her cheeks were red, and underneath her skirts her heels were clicking as fast as the thumping of Uncle George's boots.

"Everybody was excited. Uncle George kept on jigging and Grandma kept on facing him, jigging too. The fiddle did not stop. Uncle George began to breathe loudly, and he wiped sweat off his forehead. Grandma's eyes twinkled.

"'You can't beat her, George!' somebody shouted.

"Uncle George jigged faster. He jigged twice as fast as he had been jigging. So did Grandma. Everybody cheered again. All the women were laughing and clapping their hands, and all the men were teasing George. George did not care, but he did not have breath enough to laugh. He was jigging.

"Pa's blue eyes were snapping and sparking. He was standing up, watching George and Grandma, and the bow danced over the fiddle strings. Laura jumped up and down and squealed and clapped her hands.

"Grandma kept on jigging. Her hands were on her hips and her chin was up and she was smiling. George kept on jigging, but his boots did not thump as loudly as they had thumped at first. Grandma's heels kept on clickety-clacking gaily. A drop of sweat dripped off George's forehead and shone on his cheek.

"All at once he threw up both arms and gasped, 'I'm beat!' He stopped jigging.

"Everybody made a terrific noise, shouting and yelling and stamping, cheering Grandma. Grandma jigged just a little minute more, then she stopped. She laughed in gasps. Her eyes sparkled just like Pa's when he laughed. George was laughing too, and wiping his forehead on his sleeve."

-- Dance at Grandpa's, Little House in the Big Woods