Dancing is a vital part of Jane Austen’s novels. When her characters get up on the ballroom floor, they are participating in a centuries-old tradition of social dancing dating back to the English Renaissance. In this workshop we will cover basic figures, footwork, and simple choreographies of English Country dances popular in Jane Austen’s day.
Cassandra Vlahos has been dancing English Country Dance for over a decade. She regularly teaches for the Period Events and Entertainments Re-Creation Society (PEERS), the Bay Area Country Dance Society (BACDS), The Bay Area English Regency Society (BAERS), and the Fezziwig stage at Dickens Fair. In addition she has also done workshops specifically on Jane Austen for conventions and private events. She is also a co-instructor for PEERS weekly vintage ballroom dance classes, and participates in many kinds of folk dancing.