The 19th century was full of fairy tales and fantasy stories, a popular publishing theme across gothic, romantic, and medieval revival artistic periods. From reluctant dragons to frog pond performances, magical festivities dance from the pages…so on October 18th Footwork & Frolick invites you to step into a story with us for a “fancy dress” (aka costume) ball! Taking inspiration from novels like The Princess and the Goblin (1872), and fairy tale collections from The Blue Fairy Book (1889) to The Reluctant Dragon (1898), the evening will feature sweet treats, magical melodies, and beginner-friendly dances from the late 19th century.

Historical costume or costumes inspired by fairy tale and fantasy stories will be admired but not are not required - wear whatever makes you feel elegant and ready to appear amongst the fairy court!

Footwork & Frolick welcomes beginner dancers and others new to historical spaces. Our goal is to create a friendly environment for engaging with historical activities, and all of the dances for the evening are selected with beginners in mind. All dances will be taught, and no partner is required! There will also be a workshop at the Ayer Town Hall on the afternoon of the ball for those who wish to try out the dancing in advance and meet other ball-goers.

Note that at our events we use the terms “lead” and “follow” to refer to the roles in the dance. All dancers are welcome to dance either role regardless of gender identity or presentation, and you’ll often find members of Footwork & Frolick switching between roles throughout the event.