Upcoming:
23 September
10:00 – 15:00
Dancing in Edinburgh through the Scottish Enlightenment
30 September – 2 December
11:00 – 14:00
Inch House Community Centre (225 Gilmerton Road, EH16 5UF)
Dancing Through the Scottish Enlightenment: All Levels
Book HERE
7 October
11:00 – 14:00
Inch House Community Centre (225 Gilmerton Road, EH16 5UF)
Country Dances Around the World: All Levels
Book HERE
21 October
10:00 – 15:00
Dancing in Georgian Edinburgh
4 & 5 November
Edinburgh Dance Assembly 1723
A weekend to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the first regular dance assembly in Scotland organised in Edinburgh in 1723 by 5 Lady – Directresses.
See more information HERE
Previous:
15:00 20 August
St. Cecilia’s Hall, Edinburgh
The Viol Rackett Show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023
The Edinburgh Renaissance Band return for their 50th year on the Fringe with a new version of the ever-popular Viol Rackett Show, the best-loved instrumental music programme from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. The award-winning troupe of ten musicians show off a large range of period instruments, including shawms, cornetti, sackbuts, nakers, crumhorms, viols, fiddles, crumhorns, gemshorns, bells, bagpipes, racketts and a serpent, and are happy to chat with you about them. The show is introduced by Musical Director Murray Campbell, whose lively presentation completes a delightful show suitable for all ages. Children especially are welcome, and their tickets are free (but need to be booked).
Members of “Les Danses Antiques“ will demonstrate a couple of the dances during the concert. Tickets (£10) are available now from the ERB website, or from the Fringe Box Office.
7 – 9 July
Stirling
The Stirling Bridgerton Ball Extravaganza
The Stirling Bridgerton Ball Extravaganza is the social event of the season. The weekend of July 7th to 9th will see Stirling Castle transformed into Regency-era Scotland with dancing lessons, a Soiree, an afternoon tea party and of course Saturday Regency-themed ball in the Stirling Castle!
It is a weekend you will not want to miss! So, don your best gown, bring your most exquisite fan and wear your most fabulous shoes.
More information and tickets: https://www.stirlingbridgertonball.com/
23 June
18:30 – 21:00
The Georgian House, Edinburgh
Pride and Prejudice: an LGBT+ inspired historical dance workshop in the Georgian House
This Pride, join us at the Georgian House for a night of dancing and storytelling, celebrating diverse lives in the Georgian period (1714 – 1830).
Book HERE or contact the Georgian House team.
27 – 28 May
27 May 10:00 – 15:00 Dancing in Georgian Edinburgh: guided walk around Edinburgh’s New Town & visit to the Scottish National Gallery.
Price: £21.75. Book via the Edinburgh Adult Education Programme by calling 0131 556 7978 or 0131 469 3003. Phone lines will be open: Monday – Thursday 10am – 4pm; Friday – 10am – 3pm.
28 May 18:00 – 20:00 Regency Soirée in the Georgian House: Georgian-inspired experience with historical dance to live music on the Georgian House Horsburgh’s square piano (1802), special tour dedicated to Nathaniel Gow’s 260th Anniversary (Scottish – born musician and a leader of the fashionable band at the George Street Assembly Rooms in the later Georgian period), and historical fashion display.
Price £25. Book via the Georgian House.
Contact us directly at danse.antique@gmai.com to arrange booking for the whole weekend.
13 & 27 May
10:00 – 15:00
‘‘Dance History’ Guided Walks around the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
Two 5 h walks covering the UNESCO world heritage Old and New Towns of Edinburgh will focus on major centres of dance during the 1700s and 1800s. Interesting street names and buildings which housed or were used as ballrooms, theatres and dance schools will tell the stories of the people who enjoyed dancing and contributed to the development of Scottish dance scene. Each tour will finish with a guided museum visit to look at other material traces of dance activities of the past, including paintings, historical dresses, and others. The Old Town walk will finish with a guided visit to the National Museum of Scotland to examine 18th-century fashion exhibits relevant to the earliest dance clubs. The New Town walk will finish with a guided visit to the Scottish National Gallery to look at paintings of dancing scenes and to discuss them from a dance history point of view.
Each course costs £21.75 (concessions available). Book via the Edinburgh Adult Education Programme.
20 May, Sat
10:00 – 13:00
Country Dances around the World
Inch House Community Centre, 225 Gilmerton Rd, Edinburgh, EH16 5UF
Country dance as a dance form has been danced since Elizabeth I time. The tradition continues today in different styles e.g. Scottish Country Dance, English Country Dance, Contra, and others. In this workshop, we will look at what can be called the Golden Age of country dancing when it was the leading dance in the Ballrooms across Europe and North America. We will look at the varieties that existed in the UK, France, Spain, Netherlands, German lands, and other distant lands trying the instructions and steps popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries ballrooms. In this session we will look at the country dances composed by ordinary people, women, and people of African descent.
The course costs £17.25. Book via the Edinburgh Adult Education Programme.
To book please call 0131 556 7978 or 0131 469 3003 citing the title of the course. Phone lines will be open: Monday – Thursday 10am – 4pm; Friday – 10am – 3pm.
29 April
International Dance Day Celebration at Inch House
Les Danses Antiques will be performing and giving a historical dance workshop on dances related to the Inch House construction history.
26th November
Join us for a romantic night celebrating British female writers from the early 19th century with dance, music, games and much more! Have you always wanted to combine your reading hobby with socialising? Or maybe experience some of the scenes described in your favourite novels?
Literary Soirée is inspired by Jane Austen’s novels but spiced with Scotch humour from Austen’s Edinburgh-born contemporary author Susan Ferrier. Talented writers could even make an appearance during the night to read you some of their favourite lines about dance or Scottish social life!
More information and tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/literary-soiree-tickets-451120121427
18th November
Session 1: 17:00 – 18:00
Session 2: 18:00 – 19:00
Historical Dance Workshop at the Georgian House (NTS, EDinburgh)
You are cordially invited to join us in the Georgian House Drawing Room for a historical dance workshop and house tour. Learn one of the Regency periods most fashionable dances, the quadrille, and explore our restored townhouse.
In the Georgian period the social Season in Edinburgh started late Autumn – early Winter with public Assemblies, private balls, theatre performances and concerts. One of the most fashionable dances of the period, the quadrille, originated in France and became popular at public events in Edinburgh during the Season of 1816-17.
Often quadrilles would be practiced in advance of an upcoming ball “for fear of accidents’’. In this session we will follow the instructions and music of the Lancers’ Quadrille composed and published by Felix Yaniewicz c.1821 inspired by the recent exhibition about the celebrated musician. The original set was found in Miss Dalrymple’s music book from the Newhailes House Library music collection located in the National Library of Scotland.
Reserve your spot here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historical-dance-workshop-tickets-456071511167
5 October – 12 November
Edinburgh Dance Scene During the Scottish Enlightenment:
Beginner course in historical dance for the Edinburgh Adult Education Programme. The course will focus on the dances practiced in the Scottish capital in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The sessions and dance classes will be held at the Inch House Community Centre.
Students will learn about the development of the social and professional dance scene in the Scottish capital using period sources, historical accounts, and museum artefacts. Participants will be able to watch examples of recreated dances performed by experts and learn some of the dances and techniques characteristic of this period themselves. They will also have a chance to familiarize themselves with the latest research in dance history and gain a deeper understanding of the roles of dance in society as well as how modern dance styles emerged.
The course costs £43.50/£21.75/£17.25. Book your space on the Edinburgh Adult Education Programme website.
24 September
11 – 1 pm
“Discover Historical Dance” dance workshop for all at St Columbus by the Castle Church Hall (14 Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2PW)
10 & 11 September
Free Historical Dance workshops for all at the Harvest Fayre at the Bannockburn House. Try some dances from the 17th &19th centuries from Branles to Scotch Reels!
21 August
3 pm
The Viol Rackett Show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022
Joint performance with the Edinburgh Renaissance Band of music & dances from the 12th to 17th centuries at St Cecilia Hall.
17 August
Historical Dance Perfromance at the George IV celebratory dinner for the Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott Club and the New Club members with Ricardo Barros, Tim Macdonald & Alena Bulatetskaya.
The program included Allemandes to music by Alexander McGlashan, (a leader of the fashionable musical band in Edinburgh c.1790s), Strathspey Minuet, inspired by Mrs Parker’s performance in London & Edinburgh c.1800, as well as Loure, which could be taught by Mr Martin at the Todryck’s Wynd’s dancing school in Edinburgh c.1785.
14 August
Historical Dance Demonstrations at the ScottFest2022 in the Abbotsford (Scottish Borders) with Ricardo Barros & Tim Macdonald.
15 – 19 June
5th Historical Dance Symposium
Burg Rothenfels am Main, Germany
Alena presented her research on Dance Assemblies in Georgian Edinburgh
Spring 2022 Historical Dance Workshops
9 & 23 April Dancing with the Prince: Historical Dance workshops on the 18th-century dances linked with the Jacobite rebellions
14 May Dancing for the King: Scottish Ballroom c.1822: Walter Scott and George IV’s visit
29 May Danses Ecossaises: International dances inspired by Scottish culture from XVI to XIX centuries
6 – 8 May
EDC BIENNIAL CONFERENCE 2022: Retrieving & Reconstructing the Past through Dance
Alena Shmakova & Mats Melin presented their research paper “Exploring Jacobite themes in Scottish country dance collections of the 18th century”
7 April 2022
“Dance in Sir Walter Scott’s Works and Times”.
Learn more about dancing during Sir Walter Scott’s time from the recent talk for the Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott Club. The talk was recorded and is now available here on the Club’s YouTube Channel where you can find other interesting lectures.
25.02.2022 – 27.02.2022
Jacobite! II The Betrayal Project
Dance workshop and ball (private event for Jacobite Players group)
10.01.2021
&
24.01.2021
Nonsuch History & Dance Online Club: Dances from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Alena will be assisting Darren Royston in teaching French and Scottish dance repertoire from the 17th and 18th centuries.
25.12.2020 – 5.01.2021
Daft Days Dance Challenge with the Early Dance Circle
To encourage you to maintain a healthy lifestyle during Christmas, the EDC have devised twelve short and easy-to-follow workouts inspired by the early dance repertoire. Every day for 12 days – starting at 10:00 am, and lasting for 5-10 minutes — we will share with you some simple steps to try. They come from 500 years of dance heritage, accompanied by the music from their period. Try the routines enjoyed by our ancestors to maintain health and happiness through the art of dancing.The emphasis will be on fun and the joy of movement rather than on formal teaching – a challenge for the whole family! Check out Minuet and Reel videos with Alena!
20.11.2020
6 pm GMT
Going Local: Heritage for Health Enlightened Dance
Online Dance Workshop
Lighten up your mood by joining this early dance session accompanied by beautiful music from the time of the Scottish Enlightenment. Organised for the Prescribe Culture initiative from the University of Edinburgh.
29.10.2020
6 pm GMT
Scottish Ballet before “Scottish Ballet”
Online Talk
Celebrating #WorldBalletDay2020 with stories of bringing ballet to Scotland
17.10.2020
04.10.2020
12:30 – 18:30 BST
Edinburgh 1745: Life behind the Jacobite Rising
Online event in collaboration with Battle of Prestonpans [1745] Heritage Trust to commemorate the 275th anniversary of the last Jacobite rebellion.
16.08.2020
Scottish Dance Traditions at the Time of George’s IV Visit in 1822
Online masterclass for International Festival of Historical Dance (Moscow, Russia):
16:00 – 17:30 BST on Zoom
3.06.2020
Baroque Dance Notation-Deciphering Feuillet Notation
7 pm BST on Zoom
Email: hdslectures@gmail.com to register
29.04.2020
18.04.2020
Early Dance Workshop “Dancing with Georgians!”
17:30 – 19:00
Georgian House
[Postponed due to coronavirus]
Georgian Delights Lecture about Entertainment in Georgian Edinburgh
17:00 – 18:00
Georgian House
[Postponed due to coronavirus]
28.03.2020
Informal Session about Georgian Entertainment
12:00 – 15:00
Georgian House
[Postponed due to coronavirus]
27.03.2020
Stories from the History of Edinburgh Stage Walking Tour
12:00 – 15:00
[Postponed due to coronavirus]
16.03.2020
Dance workshop “Dirty Dancing through Time”
19:30 – 21:00
[Postponed due to coronavirus]
17.02.2020
Dance Workshop “Romance of Dance”
19:30 – 21:00
Cameron House Community Centre
03.02.2020
Dance Workshop “Dancing with the Prince”
19:30 – 21:00
Cameron House Community Centre
2019
18-20.10.2019
36th Early Dance Festival Edinburgh
Edinburgh Academy
16.10.2019
Talk “Dances from Russia and Scotland at the Time of Princess Dashkova”
10:30
Queens Gallery, Edinburgh
29.09.2019
Dance Workshop Baroque for Beginners
Dance For All Studios
21.04.2019
Easter in the Palace: Nymphs and Shepherds
2:30pm and 4pm
Holyrood Palace Great Gallery
16.02.2019
Charles II, James II and Holyrood
Holyrood Palace Great Gallery
2018
29.11.2018
Performance as Part of the Play “Princess Dashkova, Women who shook the World”
17:00
St Cecilia Hall
Photos and videos can be seen here >>>
18.11.2018
Baroque Dance Workshop for beginners
14:00 – 17:00
Dance For All Studios