Pride and Prejudice was published 200 years ago, on January 28th, 1813! Join theMAILING LIST to keep posted on P&P Year events, and follow us on Twitter @JaneAustenDance and the York Regency Society @yorkregencysociety! Page updated May 18.
Calendar of events and classes, 2013
(more will be added)
May 18-19 Modern English Country Dancing (schedule and pricing below)
Modern clothes, but lots of fun, great music and people. This event is for dancers who've been out to at least one or two workshops, classes or balls, or who have extremely similar dance experience, such as Scottish Country Dancing or contra. If you've never done English Country Dancing before but would like to try, please join us in High Park later this month (where we dance many Sundays, 4-7 under the trees) -- dates will be posted soon -- or in one of the Thursday-night classes.
St Barnabas Anglican Church hall, 361 Danforth Ave at Chester subway. (Side entrance on Hampton.)
If you'd like to attend but have questions, please call (416) 578-1031. Looking forward to seeing you there!
SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 18
1.15 – 2.45 Dancing to live music $15/$10 students
3 – 4.30Dancing to live music $15/$10 students
4.45 – 5.45Waltz hour $5
5.45Dinner break
7.45Silent auction closes
8.00 – 11.00English Country Dance with live music (dress code: modern) $20/$15 students
or
Attend all day Saturday (afternoon workshops, waltz, evening dance): $50/35 students
Sunday May 19th
1.15 Doors open
1.30 - 4Farewell dance $18/$12 students
Sunday, June 16 – Regency picnic, dancing and elegant beverages at Colborne Lodge
Pride and Prejudice Acting Days will include:
The Meryton Assembly – Dancing and live music at the ball; Lizzy is snubbed during the intermission
Mr Collins makes an offer at Longbourne House
Mr Collins makes another offer, at Lucas Lodge (imagined dialogue: write or improvise your script!)
Mr Darcy makes an offer
Lady Catherine de Bourgh pays a visit to Miss Eliza Bennet
“His beautiful grounds at Pemberley” – a chance encounter
Mr Darcy makes another offer
Alternate Endings Day
Please note: all dialogue will be taken from the novel. Spectators are welcome! Actors, kindly begin familiarizing yourselves with your lines (memorization would be most helpful, but is not required). The more fluent your lines and characterizations, the more fun the scenes will be.
Dress code: Regency. If you don’t have an outfit for the day, please contact me; a small number of gowns and men’s ensembles will be available for rent at reasonable rates. You are, however, strongly encouraged to put together your own outfit; check the dates for the next Regency Fashion Event, or contact me.
Sunday, August 18 – Acting Day at Campbell House
more dates will be added.
Sunday, September 29 – Acting Day at Campbell House
Saturday, December 7 – The Netherfield Ball, Enoch Turner Schoolhouse (preparatory dance course required for attendees; we will learn basic ECD skills and also the ball dances, which will include many from the films – including, of course, the one performed by Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice!)
Additional dates will be posted, including more Regency Fashion Days, the Regency Supper Club, balls, etc.
————————
Past Events 2013, 2012
Thursday, May 16, 2013–English Country Dance workshops 7-8.30 pm, 8.45-10.15 pm, tonight! No pre-registration required.
Cost $15 per workshop or both workshops for $20, students $10 per workshop or both workshops for $15. No partner or dance experience required! All welcome. Please dress in comfortable layers, wear OLD running shoes or other sturdy, flat-soled shoes and bring your own water bottle.
The first workshop will be more of an introduction; the second workshop will build on the skills learned in the first. If you are completely new to this, please make sure to attend the earlier workshop if you can only attend one.
10 am – Print technology in Austen’s time – Mackenzie House print shop – lecture on book printing, and print your own souvenir of the Weekend with Jane Austen
and
Museum tour and talk – bookbinding, bookselling and print culture in Austen’s time
11-12 – Groups switch
12 – Transit time over to St Barnabas on Danforth at Chester subway
Afternoon programme at St. Barnabas Anglican Church Hall, 361 Danforth Ave. at Chester
Book City book table featuring Austen- and Regency-related titles
12.30 – a simple pre-ordered lunch served at St. Barnabas (bringing your own is also fine)
1 pm – Lunchtime lecture: Marriage and the courtesans – a tangled web
2 pm – Prof. Robert Morrison of Queen’s University, Kingston, back by popular demand, will give a talk on roads and overland travel in Austen’s time
3 pm – Class and the schooling of the body in Austen's fiction
4 – 5.30 – Pre-ball workshop: English Country Dance basics
7 – The dressing bell.Regency dress encouraged but optional.
8 – Evening ball with live music, refreshments and polite society. Ball-only tickets available for ECD regulars; please enquire.
Registration 10.30 am. Regency dress encouraged but optional.
11 – Georgian breakfast (menu here)
FULL — WAITING LIST
12.15 – lecture – Millinery and the art of flirting, by Elizabeth Webb
1.15 – What would Darcy drive? An illustrated talk on carriages by Beatrice Nearey of JASNA Edmonton
2.15 – Cold beverages served; tour of the Inn
2.45 – Concert of music from music popular in Austen’s time, featuring distinguished musicians Mary Enid Haines (voice) and Elizabeth Acker (piano)
4 – Reels in the assembly room, games and historical newspapers in the bar, letter-writing workshop with quill pen and sealing wax by Kate McAuley of Toronto’s First Post Office. Quills and other goodies available for sale.
5.30 – A Georgian supper – a meal of historical supper dishes, both hot and cold, to send us off. Mingle, chat and see you next year! Suitable for vegetarians. FULL — WAITING LIST
March 30 — Regency Fashion 101,
or, how to dress like Lizzy and Darcy
A lively, illustrated introductory lecture on Regency fashion. Learn how and why the clothing of the era changed so radically from that of the previous century. Find out how to begin putting together your own outfit — whether you’re a Lizzy or a Darcy! — to wear to the balls, Regency picnics, Pride and Prejudice play-acting days, Regency Supper Club, and more. Or just come and join us to learn about the beautiful and fascinating history of clothing and culture.
1 - 2.30 p.m., Saturday, March 30
St Barnabas Anglican Church hall, 361 Danforth Ave at Chester subway (side entrance on Hampton)
Tickets $15, $10 at the door. Questions and reservations via e-mail (disguised, at the bottom of this page). Light refreshments will be served.
No lead or follow, no partner or dance experience required.
“Two left feet”most welcome! We will get comfortable with this beautiful, lively and accessible dance form and its captivating music, and find out why people during the 1812 era were so dance-crazy. We will learn in a relaxed, fun and accepting environment, using different learning styles. Classes taught by professional dance teacher Karen Millyard, and all questions happily answered.
Time — Monday nights, 5.30 - 7 p.m.
Cost — $65, or $50 for students/seniors. Family rates available. You can use the Paypal button below, or pay in cash or cheque at the door.
Venue — St. Barnabas Anglican Church Hall, 361 Danforth Ave at Chester subway (side entrance on Hampton Ave.)
What to wear and bring — Comfortable, layered clothes and old, well-worn running shoes for the afternoon dance workshop. No heels will be permitted on the dance floor. No exceptions will be made. Please bring your own cup or reusable water bottle and note that all JAD/YRS events are fragrance-free.
Sign up for the course using Paypal:
regular or student/senior
February 16 —Midwinter Masquerade Ball
(and the start of JaneAustenDancing’s fifth year!)
Photo from our 2012 Midwinter Masquerade, Quill & Quire Magazine
The evening will feature decorations, Regency-era refreshments, table games and door prizes. Special prizes for especially notable costumes!
Come and enjoy the delights of an 18th-century masquerade ball, with all its sly fun, colourful costumes, and saucy role-play, in addition to wonderful dancing, live music, and elegant refreshments!
No partner or dance experience needed, but the afternoon workshop is prerequisite for those newer to English Country Dancing.
Fancy-dress or masquerade costumes optional, but warmly encouraged.
Start thinking about who you’d like to be! Joan of Arc? A pirate? Shepherdess or King?
Ordinary Regency or 18th-century clothing is fine, as are modern-day party clothes, but please refrain from wearing modern Hallowe’en-style outfits such as Batman costumes.
Masks are not necessary, and actually make dancing more difficult. Also, cloaks may be worn to the event, but will not be permitted on the dance floor.
Venue
St Barnabas Anglican Church hall, 361 Danforth Ave. at Chester subway. Please use the side entrance on Hampton Ave. Street parking is available.
Registration
There are still some full-package tickets left; ball-only tickets are available for people who do ECD regularly (so that the attendees are all on the same page); absolute beginners cannot dance this evening, unfortunately. Payment at the door in cash or cheque. Spectator-only tickets $10. Each person attending the dance must send an e-mail to the address found at the bottom of this page (disguised) and fill out a
REGISTRATION FORM. Please print the form, fill it out and bring it with you.
You can either convert, scan or copy-and-paste the form into an e-mail; if paying by cheque please print out your form and send it by post to
Karen Millyard
75 Ulster St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1E8
SHOE POLICY
For both comfort and safety, only flat shoes are allowed at JaneAustenDancing events. No heels, sandals, clogs, etc. will be permitted on the dance floor. No exceptions will be made. Please wear shoes that allow you to turn easily on a wooden floor, but are not too slippery. Leather soles work well, as can suede. Very old (shiny, hard) rubber, such as well-worn running shoes, is good. (Don’t wear new running shoes — fresh rubber is too sticky; you’ll have trouble turning, which is hard on the joints.) Walking shoes, jazz shoes, and Oxford-style shoes are usually good. Please test your shoes on a wooden floor if possible. You are also welcome to bring more than one pair to test on the floor at the event.
January 21st
Beginners' course in English Country Dancing
January 13
Illustrated talk on the 18th-century masquerade ball, substantial afternoon tea, and letter-writing with quill pen and sealing wax. (Though afternoon tea was not invented until after the Regency, we all enjoy it very much.)
This class is for people with a basic knowledge of English Country Dance figures and structures. If you are new to English Country Dancing, please see the introductory course description below (intro classes begin January 14).
No partner required. The ECD II course will take us past the basics to explorations in technique, musicality, timing, style, and partnering skills in addition to new figures and choreographies.
Thursday nights, 6.30 - 8 p.m.
Cost $65, or $50 for students/seniors. Family rates available.
St. Barnabas Anglican Church Hall, 361 Danforth Ave at Chester subway (side entrance on Hampton Ave.)
No partner needed, but pre-registration is required. Questions cheerfully answered at the e-mail address found (disguised) at the bottom of the page.
Twelfth Night Dance Party
Saturday, January 5
— SOLD OUT —
Some tickets left for Sunday, Jan. 6
*** Sunday schedule ***
3 — Dance workshop
4.30 - 6 — Supper and candlelight tour of the Inn
6 - 9 — Dancing to live music
Step into the atmosphere of times gone by. Explore the holiday customs of Old England — dance by the fire to traditional live music, enjoy a delicious supper and seasonal treats, play games and tour this fascinating historic Inn by candlelight, in all its festive decorations.
Perhaps you will find the bean in the Twelfth Cake, and become Lord or Lady of Misrule for the night!
Dress code: mumming costumes, historical (from Old English garb — mediaeval, Renaissance, Tudor — through cavalier/17th-century, 18th century, and 1812/Austen-era outfits), and festive modern clothing all most welcome.
All dances will be taught and led. No dance experience or partner are necessary (and there is no lead or follow), but the afternoon dance workshop is required for people newer to English Country Dancing and will help everyone enjoy the evening’s dancing to the fullest.
Information on Montgomery’s Inn can be seen by clicking the link above. The Inn’s website provides information about the building, amenities, parking and directions.
*** Arrive in the afternoon — you’ll be ready to dance at the ball that night.
No partner or experience needed!
Nothing to wear? Don't worry, the clothing workshop will set you up with a Regency outfit for the evening. ***
Join us as we celebrate the season and Miss Austen’s birthday with a ball in the very elegant West Hall of the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse Museum. The day will include a Regency clothing and hair workshop, Austen dance basics workshop, and tour of this lovely 19th-century building. Evening ball with refreshments, non-alcoholic punch and live music, in the beautifully decorated West Hall.
Please note that you must fill out and send a registration form. If paying with Paypal, you can copy and paste the form into an e-mail; if paying by cheque please print out your form and send it by post to
Karen Millyard
75 Ulster St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1E8
York Regency Society Meeting
Sunday, Dec. 2nd
1 - 4 pm
Christmas-card party, lecture and tea
This month’s lecture is
An introduction to the Regency: what is it, and why does it matter?
We will write, seal and mail our holiday cards using quill pens and sealing wax (handmade cards will be available for purchase, but you are welcome to bring your own), and enjoy a festive tea featuring seasonal treats!
(You can also get a head-start on your shopping: the Post Office’s delightful shop offers a wonderful selection of books, antique inkpots, quills, seals, and other unusual and fascinating gifts. And, of course, you can mail any overseas parcels you have ready and receive TFPO’s special postmark!)
November 15
Four-lesson beginners’course starts. (Please note that there will be no class on Nov. 29; the course dates are Nov. 15, 22, Dec. 6, 13.)
All welcome! No partner required.
Thursday nights, 6.30 - 8 p.m.
Cost $65, or $50 for students/seniors. Family rates available.
St. Barnabas Anglican Church Hall, 361 Danforth Ave at Chester subway (side entrance on Hampton Ave.)
No partner needed, but pre-registration is required.
November 17Pirates’ Ball
(All welcome! Nautical wear, including pirates, sailors, mermaids, stevedores, etc. optional, but warmly encouraged.)
Featuring a lecture by renowned naval historian Peter Twist on pirates past, present, and on-screen! (Peter is a consultant for the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, among many other things.)
A limited number of copies of Fiddlers and Whores: the Candid Memoirs of a Surgeon in Nelson’s Fleet by James Lowry will be available on-site. To read a summary and review of this book, click here.
LOCATION
Danforth Ave at Chester subway
SCHEDULE
1.30Doors open
2–2.45Wardrobe and hair session
Please note: this is for Regency dress only; no advice on “piracy” will be offered!
3Two-hour English Country Dance basics workshop
All welcome! Includes one break. Unless you already have strong English Country dance skills, the afternoon workshop is prerequisite for attendance at the ball. It is also excellent as a refresher for those who can’t get to dances regularly. It is fun and friendly; we look forward to having you join us!
5Dinner break
The venue will be unlocked and supervised. You are welcome to bring your own supper to eat on-site or leave your things in the hall and explore the gustatory opportunities of the Danforth.
6The dressing bell
Help and advice will be nearby. Table games will be set out during this time. Please be aware that dressing can take much longer than you anticipate, and plan accordingly. It’s so much nicer if we all open the ball as a group!
7.15Power-point presentation on pirates past, present and on-screen (included for ball-only tickets). By distinguished naval historian and Pirates of the Caribbean consultantPeter Twist. Please arrive well before the lecture begins and include time for changing!
8 – 10.30Ball with dancing, live music, decorations, toasts to His Majesty’s Royal Navy, Regency table games and elegant refreshments! All dances taught, walked through and cued during the music.
Please plan to arrive at least half an hour before your first workshop so that everyone can sign in, change their shoes, and get settled in good time. We have very large numbers of people arriving at once, and your consideration will be most appreciated by everyone. Thank you!
* Ball prerequisite: either attendance at the afternoon workshop or strong skills in English Country Dancing. If you are not a regular English Country Dancer, or are not sure where you fit, please contact me.
PRICING AND REGISTRATION
If this is your first time at this event, you must send a registration e-mail before attending, no matter how last-minute you register.
Regular
Student
Ball* only (includes Pirates’lecture)
30
25
Full package (dance workshop, hair/clothing session, Pirates’lecture, evening ball and refreshments)
Group rates: please enquire.
60
50
* Ball prerequisite: either attendance at the afternoon workshop or strong skills in English Country Dancing. If you are not a regular English Country Dancer, or are not sure where you fit, please contact me.
Everyone in nautical wear (either pirate or sailor, or related profession/persona such as mermaid, stevedore, Neptune, or similar) will receive a modest discount upon presenting their artfully or ingeniously dressed persons at the door.
A new waiting list will be started in case of last-minute cancellations. Please note the schedule change, below.
*** SCHEDULE CHANGE: The ball will now be significantly longer, from 1.30 - 4.45, so that all the people on the waiting list *as of noon Oct. 15* can attend. ***
Please note that workshop attendees are requested to wear layered, modern street clothes. Space to change will be available after the workshop and before the ball. Time, however, will be more limited, so please keep your toilettes simple (this is a day event rather than an evening ball, so you have an excuse!) and if possible arrive with your hair done.
*** Fragrance-free note: a reminder that this is a fragrance-free event. Please do not use hairspray or any scented shampoos or other personal-care products. Thank you. ***
Eat a sumptuous Georgian breakfast on a service of Coalport china, by the crackle and glow of an open fire. Experience the social dances of Austen’s day in a historic ballroom, to the sound of live music. Enjoy period table games and tea in the elegant ground-floor reception rooms, sip a dainty glass of shrub* served from an authentic Regency decanter, and take a tour of this exquisite City of York home.
Breakfast-only tickets, dance packages, and combination packages are available for sale.
Dress code: Period attire strongly encouraged, but not required.
* A concoction of white wine, brandy, sugar,
lemon and nutmeg
Learn how to write letters with a quill, just as they did in the early City of York (the 1812 era). Mail your own letter at Toronto's First Post Office museum, complete with sealing wax! Enjoy afternoon tea, explore the museum, and meet other history enthusiasts. The meeting also includes admission to this gem of a small museum as well as afternoon tea and the chance to browse in the enchanting little gift shop stocked with many unusual items, including antique inkpots.
Admission for the workshop-meeting on October 14 is $20. This event is open to the general public: you do not need to be a member of the YRS to attend.
Cash or cheque is accepted, or paypment through paypal. If using paypal, please bring a printed copy of the transaction with you.
No partner or dance experience required. No lead or follow, no fancy footwork. The morning workshop will prepare you to enjoy the afternoon's social dance, even if you've never danced a step in your life!
An evening at 1812-era National Historic Site Fort York
6 p.m. — Registration opens; the programme begins at 7. Includes a lamplight tour of selected Fort buildings, a dance demonstration, fashion show, and cold buffet supper featuring a variety of both hearty and delicate fare. Suitable for vegetarians.
The wonderful Book City will provide a book table for Saturday morning and afternoon. The novels of Austen, Burney and other late-Georgian writers will be featured, as well as relevant non-fiction. They will accept Visa and Mastercard on-site; for large purchases there will be the option of paying by debit across the street at the Book City store."The accommodations to be had on board a man o' war" — a lively and informative talk by renowned military historian Peter Twist.
Illustrated talk on dance in the novels of Jane Austen and Fanny Burney, by Karen Millyard
Portraits of Respectability: The middling classes and
formal portraiture in England, 1730 to 1810 — a power-point presentation by Prof. Karen Stanworth of York University. Professor Stanworth will give us a brief overview of trends in portraiture in 18th-century Britain as well as a discussion on how portraiture was used as a form of social representation in this time of great change.
Prof. Robert Morrison of Queen's University, Kingston, will give a talk on his new, annotated edition of Persuasion, just published by Harvard University Press. Copies will be available for purchase and signing. For a review of the book, click here.
Hands-on letter-writing workshop; materials and postage will be provided; the quill is yours to keep. Letters will be franked and posted at Toronto's First Post Office.
Pre-ball workshop: English Country Dance basics (no partner or dance experience required)
Evening ball with live music, Regency-era refreshments and polite society. Only about 20 tickets left, so register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!
Georgian breakfast: hot and cold dishes eaten for breakfast in Austen's time; tea, spiced drinking chocolate, coffee and cider. Suitable for vegetarians. Priced separately.
MENU FOR GEORGIAN BREAKFAST 11 a.m., SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Steel-cut oatmeal with cream
Plum cake
Eliza Smith’s cake
Fine white bread with butter, honey, marmalade
Whole grain bread
Hot crumpets
Ham
Eggs
Smoked herrings
Fruit
Coffee, tea, spiced drinking chocolate, cider
12 o'clock Did she or didn't she? A talk on Regency underwear by Elizabeth Webb
1 p.m. Historical lacemaking: a lecture and demonstration by Linda Lorraine
2 p.m. Tender and Impassioned: a concert of music from Austen's personal collection. Programme researched and selected by Dr. Dorothy de Val. Austen's taste was eclectic, as this selection of contemporary instrumental and vocal music will show. Charming and often dramatic, these pieces by the fashionable London composers of her time are rarely if ever heard today, and will recreate the atmosphere of elegant music-making that prevailed in the drawing rooms of her time. Featuring Barbara Ackerman on flute, Stephen Fuller on violin, Laura Jones on violoncello, Dorothy de Val on piano and Susanna McCleary, soprano. For the concert programme, click here (pdf).
*** The Jane Austen Shop will be on-site during the weekend. ***
*** GEORGIAN BREAKFAST SUNDAY, APRIL 22nd ***
At Montgomery's Inn. The breakfast is priced separately. A selection of hot and cold dishes eaten in Austen's lifetime will be served, as well as tea, coffee, cider and spiced drinking chocolate. For the menu, click here. Suitable for vegetarians. Due to problems some site visitors were having with the registration buttons this past week, Montgomery's Inn has graciously permitted the extension of breakfast ticket purchases.
————————
Registration form (pdf)
Important registration information (pdf)
*** NEW PAYMENT OPTION — JAD can now accept American cheques. ***
Payment options, student/senior rates, and registration — revised April 19. Single-session tickets, including for Saturday (specific lectures or workshops), will be available at the door only, space permitting, on a first-come, first-served basis. They cannot be reserved in advance. As of April 19, it looks as though some single-session tickets will be available for various parts of the event. However, this can change quickly. Watch this space or e-mail me to be sure whether the session you want to attend is still open.The ball in is selling out fast. Cheques and cash in Canadian or American currency will be accepted (USD at par) at the door; no credit cards can be accepted on-site, except for Book City purchases.
Reduced rates for students and seniors: if you're using Paypal, these rates can only be seen on the drop-down menus, so make sure to click on the tiny arrows or they won't show.
If paying by cheque, please make your cheque out to Karen Millyard and mail it along with your registration form to 75 Ulster St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1E8. You must send a completed registration form along with your cheque, or your registration will not be processed!
Paypal users must complete and send a registration form as well as submitting their payment. Canadian registrants can use Paypal or personal cheques; registrants from the United States or overseas can use Paypal, cheques or international money orders, in either USD or Canadian funds. Please do not send cash through the mail. Credit cards cannot be used on-site except for book purchases made through Book City. Don't forget to fill out and e-mail your registration form when you pay through Paypal. Fill out the form with the names of all attendees, as well as full details of which parts of the event EACH PERSON is attending, so that we know where to place you on the registration list. Thank you -- this will help us prevent confusion and delays at the registration desk.
REGISTER NOW
If you have trouble with the buttons, please reboot or try using a different browser.
April 21 — A day of lectures and workshops / dancingOption A. Daytime (non-dance) package Option B. Dance-only package (afternoon dance workshop, evening ball) Option C. Complete Saturday package (full day and evening, dance workshop and ball included) April 22 — Sunday at Montgomery's Inn
Georgian breakfast Option A: Full day package. Includes two lectures, concert, tea, games and tour. Breakfast priced separately. Option B. Concert package. Includes concert, tea, games and tour. Does not include lectures or breakfast. Option A. Full weekend non-dance package (Friday, Saturday daytime, Sunday). Does not include dancing or breakfast. Option B. Complete weekend package (Friday, all of Saturday, Sunday). Includes dance workshop and ball. Does not include breakfast.
This page is being updated very frequently with new links and information on the programme, schedule, travel, accommodations, and so on, so please check regularly for new information. You can check the date of the most recent revisions by looking at the bottom of this page.
NEW — The charming and historic Hotel Victoria, in the safe and populous heart of downtown Toronto, has graciously extended their special rates to us at $114 Cdn per night, available from April 19th through 21st. A short walk from VIA, GO trains and buses at Union Station and the shuttle to Billy Bishop airport (only minutes away itself), this hotel is also mere steps from Toronto's excellent subways and streetcars. Optional breakfast, but excellent restaurants abound in the area as well. Perfectly located for all three days of A Weekend with Jane Austen, one streetcar ride will take you either along King St. or along the lakeshore via Queen's Quay to within a few hundred yards of Fort York. Another will take you through the original old town of York, across the Don River and up scenic Broadview Ave to Danforth Avenue (Greektown) and a two-block, pleasant walk to St. Barnabas Anglican Church. Or the subway can take you right across the road from St. Barnabas within a few minutes, and will carry you to Islington Avenue for our Sunday at Montgomery's Inn.
Please note: there is no online booking form for this rate. You must reserve via phone or e-mail (see the Hotel Victoria website for details), and mention that you are attending this event.
Other hotels and b&bs: there are many options in the city. You can search BBCanada and the Toronto Bed and Breakfast Association, but keep in mind that there are b&bs in the city that aren't members and so aren't listed on their sites. Do your own web search for them and you'll come up with some very nice places.
GETTING AROUND
Toronto is a safe, clean city, with an outstanding network of subways, streetcars, buses and commuter trains. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) offers inexpensive one-day passes that can be used by two adults travelling together (weekends only) or one adult making multiple trips. Single-trip tokens and students or seniors' tickets can be purchased at all subway stations; tickets can sometimes be purchased at local shops such as newsagents.
Details: Letter-writing workshop -- lively talk on letter-writing in an age not only before our "keyboard culture" but long before the ballpoint pen! Full of fascinating detail and followed by a hands-on workshop. You will learn how to use a quill pen and ink, write, fold and seal your own letter, which will be posted at Toronto's First Post Office. All materials are furnished, and the quill is yours to keep. Letter-writing materials, including antique stone inkpots, will also be available for purchase. Workshop led by Kate McAuley of
Toronto's First Post Office.
Porter airlines has a seat sales until midnight on Thursday, April 19. Please note that their quoted prices are inclusive, with all taxes and departure fees already factored in. They fly from Canadian and American cities right into downtown Toronto — about a five-minute cab ride from Fort York — so travel times, lineups and waits are all much shorter than travelling via Pearson International outside the city. Lower departure fees, as well. American cities include Burlington, Vermont; Myrtle Beach; Chicago; New York; Boston; and Washington DC. Canadian locations include St John's; Moncton; Halifax; Quebec City; Montreal; Mt. Tremblant; Ottawa; Timmins; Sudbury; Sault St Marie; Windsor; and Thunder Bay. For information on Billy Bishop International Airport and its fantastic central location, click here.
Cheap, quick and hassle-free.
————————
PARKING
If you are driving in from out of town for the weekend, consider buying a temporary parking permit from the City. They are extremely inexpensive and will allow you to park overnight on the street in most of the city neighbourhoods. Please note that these permits are area-specific; it makes most sense to buy one for the area where you plan to lodge for the night. Check the city's website parking map to see which district you'll need.
————————
*** DANCE-FLOOR SHOE POLICY ***
Flat shoes only. No heels, sandals, clogs, slingbacks or similar open-type shoes will be permitted on the dance floor. No exceptions will be made. Please wear shoes that allow you to turn easily on a wooden floor, but are not too slippery. Leather soles work well, as can suede. Very old (shiny, hard) rubber, such as well-worn running shoes, is good. (Don't wear new running shoes -- fresh rubber is way too sticky. You'll have trouble turning, which is hard on the joints.) Walking shoes, jazz shoes, Oxford-style shoes, and some plastic-soled flat shoes (such as Chinese canvas shoes) can work. Please test your shoes on a wooden floor. You are also welcome to bring more than one pair to test on the floor on Saturday.
For more information on Karen Millyard's 1812 dance, music and lectures, click here.
For more information on services available to museums, schools, municipalities, film and theatre production companies, click here.
Canadians were dance-crazy in 1812, men and women alike. Come find out why!
Easy to learn: no partner or dance experience required, no lead or follow, and no fancy footwork! This is not like the couples' dance you're used to. You will
be weaving patterns in groups with the other dancers, to lively and
beautiful traditional tunes.
All welcome.
————————————————
Schedule
7.30 — Doors open
7.45 — Registration
8 - 10 — Informal talk on social dance in the 1812 era and beginners' dance workshop. Includes a break with light refreshments.
Cost
If you pre-register via e-mail: $20 / $15 for students; group and family rates are available for pre-registration only. Cheques accepted for pre-registration.
At the door: $25 / $20
What to bring
A reusable cup or water bottle. Please wear comfortable, layered clothes and flat shoes — no heels or sandal-type shoes will be allowed. Old running shoes work well (new ones are too sticky and won't let you turn well). Jazz shoes and Oxford-type shoes are also good. Rubber soles can be too sticky; check to see if you can turn easily on the ball of your foot.
Venue
St. Barnabas Anglican Church hall, 361 Danforth Ave at Chester subway. The entrance is on the side street, Hampton Ave., south side of Danforth. Go through the gate and straight through the playground.
Venues: Danceweavers, 1812Dance and JaneAustenDancing events take place in various locations, but central and on the subway line unless otherwise specified. We also travel — if you would like me to do an event in your community, please contact me at 1812Dance at Danceweavers dot ca.
Midwinter Masquerade Ball
*** costumes optional; as always, the focus is on dancing and fun! ***
Saturday, February 18
JaneAustenDancing
Spend an evening in Jane Austen’s world. Dress in the elegant clothing of the period, try Regency-era treats and table games, and — best of all — dance at the ball! No partner, dance experience or fancy footwork necessary. No lead or follow. In just one afternoon, you will learn the dance skills and how to use your own closet to put together a Regency look at no extra cost. By the evening, you’ll already know some of the company and will be ready for the ball! I hope you will join us!
Dancing Mistress Karen Millyard
Venues: Danceweavers, 1812Dance and JaneAustenDancing events take place in various locations, but central and on the subway line unless otherwise specified. We also travel — if you would like me to do an event in your community, please contact me at 1812Dance at Danceweavers dot ca.
————————
Details for February 18 ball
*** NEW Schedule ***
Please plan to arrive at least half an hour before your first workshop so that everyone can sign in, change their shoes, and get settled in good time. We have very large numbers of people arriving at once, and your consideration will be most appreciated by everyone. Thank you!
2 -2.45
Regular Regency wardrobe and hair session; no masquerade theme (an additional session will be scheduled if this one fills up). If you need help with your fancy-dress (masquerade) costume, please contact me. If there is enough demand, a second How-to-masquerade workshop will be scheduled (the first was on January 28).
3 - 5
Two-hour English Country Dance basics workshop. All welcome! Includes one short break. Unless you already have strong English Country dance skills, the afternoon workshop is prerequisite for attendance at the ball. It is also excellent as a refresher for those who can’t get to dances regularly. It is fun and friendly; we look forward to having you join us!
5
Break for dinner. The venue will be unlocked and supervised. You are welcome to bring your own supper to eat on-site or leave your things in the hall and explore the gustatory opportunities of the Danforth.
6.30
The dressing bell. Changing space available on-site. Help and advice will be nearby. Please keep in mind that dressing can take much longer than you think, and it is important to begin the ball together! Kindly allow plenty of time between dinner and eight o'clock.
Table games will be set out during this time, for the amusement of those who are ready early.
8 - 10.30
Ball with dancing, live music, decorations, Regency table games and elegant refreshments! All dances taught, walked through and cued during the music.
Please plan to arrive at least half an hour before your first workshop so that everyone can sign in, change their shoes, and get settled in good time. We have very large numbers of people arriving at once, and your consideration will be most appreciated by everyone. Thank you!
***Please note: the early-bird pricing deadline is now one week earlier. For the early-bird ball discount your registration form and payment must be received or postmarked by midnight on Friday, February 11th.*** However, I urge you to register as soon as possible, especially if you are a first-timer: there are things to be collected for the afternoon workshops, and one-third of the tickets are already sold; if you wish to attend this event, please register soon!)
EARLY-BIRD PRICING (applicable until midnight, Friday, February 11)
Regular
Student price
Group rates (early-bird only)
Dance workshop only
20
15
Please enquire
Hair and clothing session (optional)
15
10
Please enquire
Ball* only
20
15
Please enquire
Full package (dance workshop, hair/clothing session, evening ball and refreshments)
45
30
Please enquire
* Ball prerequisite: either attendance at the afternoon workshop or strong skills in English Country Dancing. If you are not a regular English Country Dancer, or you’re not sure where you fit, or have any other questions about the workshops or ball, please write me at < JaneAustenDancing at danceweavers dot ca >. Local calls only, and no texts, please: (416) 578-1031.
PRICING AND REGISTRATION AFTER MIDNIGHT, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11
You must send a registration e-mail before attending, no matter how late you are registering, in order to receive the venue address and other information that is not posted on this website.
Regular
Student price
Dance workshop only
25
20
Hair and clothing session (optional)
15
10
Ball* only
25
20
Full package (dance workshop, hair/clothing session, evening ball and refreshments)
55
40
* Ball prerequisite: either attendance at the Feb. 18 workshop or strong skills in English Country Dancing. If you are not a regular English Country Dancer, or are not sure where you fit, please contact me. Even if you’re paying at the door, you’ll need to send your registration e-mail in order to receive the venue address (which is not posted on this website), list of things to bring, footwear suggestions, etc.
To register: Fill out the registration form send it with your cheque to Karen Millyard, 75 Ulster St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1E8 and an e-mail to < JaneAustenDancing at danceweavers dot ca > so I can send you your information package, including your list of things to bring for the clothing and hair session. For same-day registrations, please print the form and bring it with you, AND send an e-mail.
Location: Details will arrive in your registration information package, which cannot be delivered unless you send an e-mail.
Contact me for more information at JaneAustenDancing at gmail dot com.
Your Dancing Mistress Karen Millyard has been leading English Country Dances (specializing in 1812-era, or Regency style) for many years. She is a choreographer, researcher, consultant and professional dance teacher who works in museums and historical sites, theatre, television, schools and the community. She believes that dancing at Publick Assemblies ought to be fun rather than perfect!
It may be possible to do without dancing entirely. Instances have been known of young people passing many, many months successively, without being at any ball of any description, and no material injury accrue either to body or mind; — but when a beginning is made — when the felicities of rapid motion have once been, though slightly, felt — it must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more.
April 29: Happy International Day of Dance! We can’t do our usual dancing in the
streets today due to the weather, but we’ll reschedule.
In the meantime, we’re posting this clip as a way of expressing our
feelings about dance: that it’s about joy, sharing, and community.
Enjoy the latest adventures of Matt!
