May Masquerade
Don your finery and step out for a night on the “ton”, celebrating new seasons…of the natural and Bridgerton variety! Dance in the main hall of the Groton Grange, sample decadent refreshments, and enjoy music from the early 19th century with merry company from 7pm - 10pm on Saturday, May 17.
All dances will be taught, and no partner is required! For those looking to try the dances in advance, you can add the afternoon workshop for an additional $10 - see details below.
Guests are encouraged to come dressed in whatever feels fancy and elegant. Historical costumes of the early 19th century and masquerade masks will be admired but are certainly not required. We do recommend flat or low heeled shoes, as modern high heels are not conducive to historical dances.
We are offering 3 ticket options for this event:
Standard: $30 - this is the main ticket for the event.
Student/New grad: $25 - this is a discounted ticket for students and those who have graduated within the last 5 years.
Supporter: $45 - this ticket includes a donation to the non-profit in addition to the standard ticket cost, which supports our work and helps us continue to create events for the public.
As a non-profit, our mission is to make historical activities accessible to all. Scholarships - which include free attendance at an event or class, sometimes with a guest - are available to anyone who historically has not felt welcome in modern historical spaces or whose financial situation would not otherwise allow them to attend. We especially encourage young, BIPOC, or LGBTQIA folks to apply. Scholarships can be requested through this short form.
Don your finery and step out for a night on the “ton”, celebrating new seasons…of the natural and Bridgerton variety! Dance in the main hall of the Groton Grange, sample decadent refreshments, and enjoy music from the early 19th century with merry company from 7pm - 10pm on Saturday, May 17.
All dances will be taught, and no partner is required! For those looking to try the dances in advance, you can add the afternoon workshop for an additional $10 - see details below.
Guests are encouraged to come dressed in whatever feels fancy and elegant. Historical costumes of the early 19th century and masquerade masks will be admired but are certainly not required. We do recommend flat or low heeled shoes, as modern high heels are not conducive to historical dances.
We are offering 3 ticket options for this event:
Standard: $30 - this is the main ticket for the event.
Student/New grad: $25 - this is a discounted ticket for students and those who have graduated within the last 5 years.
Supporter: $45 - this ticket includes a donation to the non-profit in addition to the standard ticket cost, which supports our work and helps us continue to create events for the public.
As a non-profit, our mission is to make historical activities accessible to all. Scholarships - which include free attendance at an event or class, sometimes with a guest - are available to anyone who historically has not felt welcome in modern historical spaces or whose financial situation would not otherwise allow them to attend. We especially encourage young, BIPOC, or LGBTQIA folks to apply. Scholarships can be requested through this short form.
Don your finery and step out for a night on the “ton”, celebrating new seasons…of the natural and Bridgerton variety! Dance in the main hall of the Groton Grange, sample decadent refreshments, and enjoy music from the early 19th century with merry company from 7pm - 10pm on Saturday, May 17.
All dances will be taught, and no partner is required! For those looking to try the dances in advance, you can add the afternoon workshop for an additional $10 - see details below.
Guests are encouraged to come dressed in whatever feels fancy and elegant. Historical costumes of the early 19th century and masquerade masks will be admired but are certainly not required. We do recommend flat or low heeled shoes, as modern high heels are not conducive to historical dances.
We are offering 3 ticket options for this event:
Standard: $30 - this is the main ticket for the event.
Student/New grad: $25 - this is a discounted ticket for students and those who have graduated within the last 5 years.
Supporter: $45 - this ticket includes a donation to the non-profit in addition to the standard ticket cost, which supports our work and helps us continue to create events for the public.
As a non-profit, our mission is to make historical activities accessible to all. Scholarships - which include free attendance at an event or class, sometimes with a guest - are available to anyone who historically has not felt welcome in modern historical spaces or whose financial situation would not otherwise allow them to attend. We especially encourage young, BIPOC, or LGBTQIA folks to apply. Scholarships can be requested through this short form.
Event Details
What time are the ball and workshop?
Afternoon class: 3:30 - 5pm
Doors open: 6:30pm
Ball: 7-10pm
Dancing will begin just after 7pm. If you attend the afternoon class, you will be able to leave any items or changes of clothes at the hall in between, and you will be able to change in the hall if desired. If you do not attend the class, we ask that you arrive in your ball attire as there is limited changing space in the Grange.
What will the dancing be like?
Set dances (often long lines or squares walking through patterns) will be taught during the evening, and all dances are selected with beginners in mind. All dancing will be done to recordings of regency era music.
For those who would like to spend more time with early 19th century dancing, we encourage you to attend Quadrillion! Our spring session (April - May) of Saturday beginner classes will focus on 1790s-1810s dances. You can attend a single month or purchase a session package for the classes and May Masquerade Ball at a discounted rate.
Do I need a partner?
As was considered polite in the 19th century, we encourage guests to change partners throughout the evening. You do not need to bring a specific partner, although we encourage groups to attend - the more the merrier!
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.
Location
Groton Grange Hall, 80 Champney Street, Groton MA. For GPS navigation, search for “The Groton Grange #7”.
Street parking is available on the side of Champney street that the Grange is on. There is no parking on the opposite side of the street. There are signs indicating where you can and cannot park, but if you’re unsure just ask when you arrive.
The main hall (where we dance) is on the second floor of the building.
What to Wear
Guests are encouraged to wear anything that makes them feel elegant! Historical dress of the early 19th century and masquerade masks will be admired but are absolutely not required. The best shoes for historical dance have no heel or a very low heel and allow your foot to slide a little bit on the floor (e.g. ballet/jazz shoes, converse, street ballet flats) - we recommend avoiding high heels.
Cancellation Policies
Ticket Sales
Tickets are non-refundable but are transferable: If you are unable to attend the ball and would like to transfer your ticket to someone else, please email admin@footworkandfrolick.org.
Weather
If weather conditions are deemed dangerous for driving or a weather emergency is called for the town or state, the event may be canceled. In the event of a weather cancellation, you will receive an email notification at the address you entered when you purchased your ticket and your ticket will be refunded.
Public Health
COVID-19 vaccination is strongly encouraged to attend Footwork & Frolick events. We also encourage those who are eligible to get flu boosters and RSV vaccines. While we will not be checking proof of vaccination, we ask that attendees practice transmission prevention by staying up to date on vaccines, testing if experiencing symptoms, and staying home when ill.
Dancing requires contact with other people - even if you only have a cold, please wear a mask or skip class and come another month! We are happy to transfer your ticket in the event of an illness.
Masks are not required, but we encourage anyone who would prefer to do so to wear one.
We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible, which means everyone in our community needs to do their part to prevent disease transmission and we will do our best to follow local, state, and federal health guidelines. If you have questions or concerns please email admin@footworkandfrolick.org.
Code of Conduct
All attendees are required to abide by the Footwork & Frolick Code of Conduct.