1. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division
It costs a dime to look through this Bausch and Lomb high power telescope
Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division
Zoom In Inquiry

2. 18th Century Country Dancing
Analyze the different elements revealed in the pictures.
Investigative Question
What do the pictures tell you about the social role of dancing during the 18th century?

3. Where would you guess these people are
Where would you guess these people are? Use visual clues to figure it out!
* What kind of
clothes are
they wearing?
* Do you
think
these are
the only
people in
the room?
* Where is the
attention
focused?

4. Do you see any additional clues to help you?
* Look at the group
in the background.
What are they
doing? What role
do you think they
play?
* Where do you think
the gentleman is
leading the lady?

5. What is missing? Use your clues to guess!

6. Bal Paré (The Jewel Ball), 1774
Were you right? Notice that the dancers are the central point of the artwork. What does this tell you about their importance?
Bal Paré (The Jewel Ball), 1774
Antoine-Jean Duclos (French, ) after Augustin de Saint-Aubin (French, )

7. How is this group of people different? How are they similar?
Compare the clothes. Are the clothes on the left more formal or casual?
How are the people interacting? How is it similar
in each image? How is it different?

8. What else do you see? Do the new clues make this seem different or similar to the first scene?
* Does the
group look
more
relaxed?
Why do you
think that
is?
* What do the
dogs tell you
about the
scene?
* Why do you
think there
are children
here?
* What is the
man holding
in his hands?

9. What kind of social interaction do you see here?

10. Did you think this was outdoors or indoors
Did you think this was outdoors or indoors? Based on what you know, what do you think is missing?

11. Were you right? How is this dance different from the first dance?
Dance Before a Fountain, Nicolas Lancret, French, about Oil on canvas.

12. Dancing was enjoyed by everyone, of
every rank in society. Not only was it
considered an excellent way to stay healthy,
it was also a means for social interaction. In
many colonies, especially southern
colonies like Virginia, your closest neighbor
lived many miles away. A dance offered an
occasion to meet with your neighbors and catch
up on news and politics. Dances could be
formal affairs as seen in the first picture, or they
could be casual and impromptu as seen in the
second.
Wilson, Thomas, The complete system of English country dancing, containing all the figures ever used in English country dancing, with a variety of new figures, and new reels (page vi). London, Sherwood, Neeley and Jones [1815?]

13. Dance masters would often travel from home
to home to provide instruction. As Mr. Wilson
advertises here, dance masters from England
would often travel oversees to the colonies for
employment.
Wilson, Thomas, An analysis of country dancing: wherein are displayed all the figures ever used in country dances, in a way so easy and familiar, that persons of the meanest capacity may in a short time acquire (without the aid of a master) a complete knowledge of that rational and polite amusement. To which are added, instructions for dancing some entire new reels; together with the rules, regulations, and complete etiquette of the ball room., London, Printed by W. Calvert, to be had to Mr. Dutton [etc.] (1808).

14. mentions that three of the children are
According to the journal of Philip Vickers Fithian, private tutor to the Carter children of Virginia, the presence of the dance master would mean a day off from school! Here he
mentions that three of the children are
absent from his classes. Notice that
both boys and girls attended the dance
school.
Fithian, Philip Vickers, Philip Vickers Fithian, journal and letters, , student at Princeton college, , tutor at Nomini Hall in Virginia, ; edited for the Princeton historical association by John Rogers Williams, page 50. Princeton, N.J., The University library (1934).

15. Let’s look at the dancers
* How many dancers are in each group?
* A dance with two couples is called a duple
* A dance with three couples is called a triple
Figure: Allemande
Figure: Hands Across

16. Vocabulary
In most dances, couples would form a set with men in one line, facing their partners in another.
Wilson, Thomas, The complete system of English country dancing, containing all the figures ever used in English country dancing, with a variety of new figures, and new reels (page 2). London, Sherwood, Neeley and Jones [1815?]

17. Vocabulary
In most dances, couples would form a set with men in one line, facing their partners in another.
Remember the duple and triple couples? They formed a small part of the big dance and were called a minor
set.
Wilson, Thomas, The complete system of English country dancing, containing all the figures ever used in English country dancing, with a variety of new figures, and new reels (front insert). London, Sherwood, Neeley and Jones [1815?]

18. Vocabulary
In most dances, couples would form a set with men in one line, facing their partners in another.
Remember the duple and triple couples? They formed a small part of the big dance and were called a minor
set.
Dances were made up of a series
figures. Rather than learn a dance
from beginning to end, dance students
would learn the figures. Once you
learned the figures, you could dance
any dance!
Wilson, Thomas, The complete system of English country dancing, containing all the figures ever used in English country dancing, with a variety of new figures, and new reels (front insert). London, Sherwood, Neeley and Jones [1815?]