Details
Our 13th annual English Country dance weekend in Rochester, NY includes two practice sessions, an experienced English dance, and a Sunday afternoon Regency period ball in a roomy, elegant ballroom, with most of the dancers in costumes reminiscent of Jane Austen’s time, period English dances, and delicious refreshments. Click here for a printable flyer.
We’ll enjoy Dance Mistress Joanna Reiner Wilkinson‘s welcoming presence and clear, efficient teaching, and superb music from Elegant Echoes: Becky Ross (fiddle), Colleen Reed (flute) and Liz Donaldson (piano). The dances on the Ball program are mostly those that might have been danced in Jane Austen’s time. Whet your appetite by viewing this short video from our 2016 Ball.
Advanced registration is required for most events.
Note: Our 2019 Jane Austen Ball is fully subscribed; it is no longer possible to register. If cancellations occur, our registrar will be in touch with those on our wait list. Note that the Saturday events do not require pre-registration; you can just pay at the door.
Ball Program
Click on orange dance names to see videos. Click here for the dance instructions.
Schedule of Events
Sundays, March 31, April 7, 14 & 28
3:30-5:30 pm: Ball prep sessions, at the First Baptist Church of Rochester, 175 Allens Creek Rd, 14618, $5 per session. All are followed by a potluck dinner and a chance to attend our regular Sunday evening dance at 6:30. Newcomers to English dancing should be sure to attend the first two sessions to learn the basics. No ball prep on Easter Sunday.
Saturday, May 4
3:00-5:30 pm: Ball practice led by Joanna Reiner Wilkinson at First Baptist Church with music by Elegant Echoes, followed by a potluck dinner (all welcome; food contributions encouraged but not necessary, paper plates and utensils supplied). $10. You can preregister or just pay at the door.
6:30-9:30 pm: Experienced English dance, at First Baptist. An evening of challenging but rewarding dances and old favorites. Solid familiarity with English country dancing assumed; basic figures will not be taught and walk-throughs will be minimal. Music by Elegant Echoes, dances taught by a cavalcade of regional callers. $20. You can pre-register or just pay at the door. Open to all with the needed skills — you don’t have to be coming to the Ball.
Sunday, May 5
9:30 am: Doors open at the Ball Venue. Pick up your name tags and Ball program booklets at the welcome table at the Memorial Art Gallery Ballroom, 500 University Ave. Your name tag also gives you free admission to the art gallery (a $15 value), open 11 am – 5 pm.
10:00 am-noon: Ball dance review, with Joanna Reiner Wilkinson and Elegant Echoes, focusing on the more challenging dances, followed by a buffet lunch, and time for dressing. Dressing rooms for both ladies and gentlemen are provided.
1:50 pm: Demonstration of the Minuet, a traditional opening dance, in the ballroom.
2-5:30 pm: The Ball, with sumptuous period-appropriate refreshments mid-way.
6:00 pm: An optional post-Ball dinner, with a seasonal menu TBA, at the nearby Lento Restaurant, cost $30. Pre-registration required this year.
Further details
Registration: Registration is now closed. The registrar can be reached via e-mail at
Preparation: Prior experience with English Country dancing is assumed. Even though dances at the Ball are walked through and prompted, we strongly encourage dancers to take advantage of our prep sessions, practices, and the Ball instructions & videos provided on our website, to minimize teaching during the Ball. Dancers will give themselves — and their partners — the greatest pleasure if they are familiar with the afternoon’s program before the Ball. A link to the dance instructions can be found above under the table of dance names, or they can be mailed upon request.
Dress: Regency period attire is encouraged but anything formal or dressy is fine. Lisa Brown of Regency Rentals offers rentals of Regency era costumes by appointment. Contact her at () to inquire. Lisa’s guides to Regency Ball attire for ladies and gentlemen may also be of interest.
Hospitality: We can accommodate a limited number of out of town visitors in the homes of local dancers. If you’re interested, please email . Some suggestions for hotels and B&Bs can be found here or can be mailed upon request.
Caller
Joanna Reiner Wilkinson
Joanna Reiner Wilkinson has taught English dance, Scottish dance and longsword for over a decade. Her calling has taken her from Amherst to Ann Arbor, from NEFFA to Hey Days, including several sessions at Pinewoods Camp. Joanna led the Philadelphia-based Germantown Country Dancers English dance demonstration team for many years, is an avid dance gypsy, and in her spare time, works to support her dance habit. Her efficient teaching and amazing dance memory are legendary!
Band
Elegant Echoes
Liz Donaldson (piano), Becky Ross (violin), Colleen Reed (flute)
Elegant Echoes plays a rich repertoire of music from the British Isles and Ireland with engaging energy and sparkling sophistication. Becky Ross (fiddle), Colleen Reed (flute) and Liz Donaldson (piano) weave together sweet harmonies and melodies with lively rhythmic punctuation. Based in the Washington, DC area, they played for dancing at the Jane Austen Society’s Annual General Meeting in 2016.
Their English dance CDs English Echoes and the newly released English Echoes II (both available at the CDSS Store) represent a selection of their favorite tunes offering a variety of meters and moods, from elegant and smooth to bouncy and lively. You can listen to a few excerpts here.