If your idea of fun involves white gloves, breeches and ball gowns, Williamsburg has a dance for you this weekend.
It comes from the Williamsburg Heritage Dancers, who are holding the George Washington Ball on Saturday, March 3. An annual tradition since 1981, the event celebrates Washington’s birthday, according to Jenna Simpson, whose title in the group is dancemistress.
“You’re doing dances that George Washington danced,” said Louis Vosteen, a member of the Williamsburg Heritage Dancers since 1976. “These are dances that our founding fathers did and that is a great way to feel connected to history.”
The Heritage Dancers were born out of the nation’s Bicentennial celebration, which was in 1976. The first ball was also in 1976, and people enjoyed learning about English country dancing, according to Vosteen.
“It’s a very accessible form of dancing,” Vosteen said. “Anyone who has any sense of rhythm at all can pick it up.”
The Williamsburg event attracts as many as 150 dancers, dressed in full colonial or Regency costumes, according to Simpson.
“There are balls around the country, but not all of them have the historic advantage like we do here,” Simpson said.
Costumes for the ball can either be bought or homemade, but Simpson prefers to make hers by hand in the Regency style from the early 19th Century, which is what Simpson referred to as Jane Austen attire.
“It’s a fun thing to do because Williamsburg has a higher percentage of colonial and Regency costumes,” Simpson said. “It’s unlike anywhere else.”
Men’s costumes can be easier to make than ball gowns for women, because there aren’t as many layers to the outfit, according to Vosteen. While Vosteen makes his costume, which costs around $150, intricate custom-ordered costumes can cost nearly $500, according to Vosteen.
But Williamsburg Heritage Dancers aren’t just about the George Washington Ball.
The group meets on Tuesdays, from 8-10 p.m. at 710 South Henry St.; newcomers are encouraged to arrive at 7:30 p.m. These weekly events are casual, and participants learn dances that Simpson said are similar to something you would see in a period film, such as “Pride and Prejudice.”
Simpson remembers how nerve-racking starting out can be, though.
“I felt silly at first, but I just enjoyed it so much I got over that and never looked back,” Simpson said.
New members are paired with more experienced dancers to help them learn, according to Vosteen. Vosteen taught for many years, and said creating a welcoming community is an important part of the group.
Recorded music plays at the weekly sessions, but at the ball on Saturday, the band Hot Toddy will be performing live.
While many songs might seem formal at first, the selections help give dancers the feeling of what a real ball would have been like during the period, according to Simpson.
“Some of the things we think of as classical were their pop music,” Simpson said. Many of the dances come from folk tunes, with ties to the Scots-Irish roots of Appalachian culture, such as the song “Flowers of Edinburgh,” according to Simpson.
The ball requires pre-registration at a cost of $35 for adults and $30 for children. It will begin at 7 p.m. at the Chesapeake Room in the Sadler Center on the William & Mary campus.
Roughly 150 dancers have registered and people travel from as far as Arizona and Florida to attend, according to Simpson.
“I think different things appeal to different people,” Simpson said. “The historical link is really interesting because it is a great way to feel that connection with history.”
