The Long Island Traditional Music Association

"giving you that old song and dance"

Susan de Guardiola is a renowned dance historian, scholar and instructor whose repertoire encompasses Renaissance through 21st century social dance. Her contagious enthusiasm, warm charm and charisma have folks flocking to her Sunday afternoon classes at Manhattan’s Elegant Arts Society.  Susan's workshop transports us back 150 years to the festive European ballroom. Quadrilles, the ancestors of today's square dances, are done in square formation, but have five very different figures and tunes that make up a complete "quadrille." Susan will teach us with the style and French steps of the early 19th century. Come alone or with a partner but be ready to mix and mingle. Though danced by "couples," there is little or no couple-dancing element (e.g., no swings), so gender balance is not an issue. The music for these quadrilles is stirring and beautiful.

Dorothy Olsson, Director, NY Historical Dance Company, leads us in an afternoon of dances popular in the time of Shakespeare and Elizabeth I. Learn such dances as the pavan, alman, branle, as well as dances from English dance sources that show similarities to the early English country dances.  Distinguished musicians Chris Morrongiello on lute and Aaron Smith on recorder provide the period music.

American dancing of the 1860s to 1930s includes couple dances such as Victorian Waltz, Polka, Schottische, and Mazurka, as well as Ragtime One-Step, Foxtrot, Tango, Blues and much more.  Dance master Marc Casslar, founder of the Vintage Dance Society, will teach us a few of these elegant gems. Live ragtime and early ballroom music.  Bonus: 1:00 pm—Learn “The Cake Walk” and all about its origins from April Masten, history professor, dancer.