Vintage Dance, or sometimes
Historic Social Dance, refers to
social dancing or
ballroom dancing as done in the
U.S. and
Western Europe from roughly
1800 to
fifty years ago. For convenience, I'll break it into some
arbitrary periods, and give a few examples for each.
a.k.a. Federalist,
Edwardian or early 19th century.
We've only just finished The French Revolution and women's fashions enjoy a very brief period of sensibility. Clothing tends to be light and unrestrictive, encouraging dances with lots of skipping and jumping.
Starting with the great
international polka craze of 1844 anyone who was anyone was dancing.
All the same dances that were done in the mid century are still being done in the late century,
but by fewer people and with less enthusiasm.
Dance masters, in a vain attempt
to maintain their place in society and in the economy, invent dances of greater and greater complexity.
The bustle replaces the hoop, which necessitates a few changes in dancing style.
At the same time, Ragtime music begins its infiltration.
Vernon and Irene Castle bring an
air of
respectability to couple dancing, and
spark what was arguable the largest
U.S. dance craze ever. By the end of
WWI
people mostly don't care anymore.
It's the
roaring twenties, and kids are
spoiled. For the first time, there is a class
of children who don't have to immediately go to
work to
support the
family. This
is an era of highly
energetic dances done by the younger generation.
More than ever before,
white society is getting its dances from
black society.
Swing music and
swing dancing are
what's happening