Every year, my dance troupe, the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers, hosts several balls that are open to the public. Sometimes people come in the most incredible clothing, and sometimes they come in hardly credible clothing. We always require a certain level of dress (in my opinion it really is difficult to get into the elegant spirit of things if everyone around you is wearing shorts or jeans, and sneakers are as useless for dancing as they are ugly), but we are always juggling the issues of accessibility and atmosphere. On the one hand, these events ought to be pretty and special. On the other, I don't want to keep out potential new friends just because they do not have a perfect ballgown hanging in their closet (though I'm happy to have friends like that, too!). As a compromised, we only have one ball a year where period dress is truly required. In my opinion, this makes Returning Heroes one of the most special and amazing experiences possible. And not only is everyone in the hall required to wear appropriate clothing, but all other aspects of the ball (dancing, music, refreshments) are carefully researched and correct. I like to say that Returning Heroes is the closest thing to a mid-nineteenth century ball since the mid-nineteenth century!
This year is even more special, because our favorite historical dance band, Spare Parts, is coming out with a new mid-19th century CD that shares a name with the ball. This year, Returning Heroes will be the launch party for the CD. So you can come hear the fantastic music live in person, and then buy a CD to remember it by.
I hope I have you convinced that this is an un-missable experience. Go empty your schedule for March 10, arrange a ride to Holliston, MA, and make your reservations this very moment. And if your only obstacle is the dress requirement, send me an email so we can try to work something out. You really don't want to miss this exclusive event. As always, more details (and tickets) available at the CVD website: http://www.vintagedancers.org/2012rh.html
RHB is my favorite CVD event because of the costume requirement - I say it's the closest thing I'll get to stepping back in time! ;) And Spare Parts is awesome! I have several of their CDs, and am eager to add this new one to my collection! I wasn't planning on attending RHB this year, but now I feel like I really want to try and make it happen!
ReplyDeleteYou should! It would be so nice to see you there! This is shaping up to be a larger event than we've had in a while - I think it will be really fun.
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