We promote the study, practice, education, and public engagement in the performance, music, and costume of European and other dances from the 15th to 20th centuries as recorded in the sources of the period.
If you’re looking for information about historical dances, or maybe some music or video footage, please contact us and we’ll be delighted to help you.
Explore our website to learn more about our workshops, study days and annual summer schools, as well as the publications, journal and resources available to members and non-members.
Dances of the French Courts: 16th century Dance, Music and Songs from France, is a collection of dances and their music from the reign of François I (1515-1547) to that of the young Louis XIII in 1614 researched by Anne Daye with music recorded by Passomezzo directed by Tamsin Lewis.
Experience dances of Queen Elizabeth’s court. Saturday 20th September 2025 10.30 – 16.30. St Pancras Church House, 1 Lancing Street, London NW1 1NA. Find out about, and try for yourself, dances from the Tudor court.
This will be a day full of dance, and you will also learn about the place and practice of dancing within the social scene at court and in the wider country.
Call for contributions for the International Historical Dance Symposium 3-7 June 2026 at Burg Rothenfels in Germany with the theme “Transitions” Dance in Times of Change 1400 – 1900.
Anne Daye has written a series of blog posts on A History of Country Dancing (with an emphasis on the steps). To date (22 August 2024) the first five instalments are online, with four more planned.