Here are a few samples of 18th-century dances, also known as colonial dances, led by Patricia Campbell and/or with music by The Reel Thing.
Dances of this period included “longways,” dances done in lines with partners facing each other, and “cotillions,” which were the grandfather of square dances and were danced in “square dance” formation.
Many of the figures are the same as contemporary square and contra dances, but some, like the Allemande, looked very different in the 18th century from how they look now. We have a great time introducing beginners to these elegant yet lively and fun dances!
To view samples of other dance styles, visit our Family Dance and Community Dance pages.