International Museum Day: A Gentleman's Dance card

18 May 2019

3pm-4pm

Free event

For this year's International Museum Day, we've put together an engaging programme that activates our collection and fits into this year's theme; Museums as Cultural Hubs - The future of tradition. 

Start out by inspecting and admiring an original dance card on display in our foyer, then take a step back in time for a delightful exhibition of colonial dances, experience dance patterns, etiquette and period costumes.

"In the Waikato in the late 19th century, a gentleman's dance card included popular social dances from the era - waltzes; cotillions; two-steps; barn dances and quadrilles. Dances were an important part of the social calendar and a proper gentleman was required to be an accomplished dancer in order to be accepted in society. Female partners were in demand as at that time in Hamilton's history there were more men than women at these events, and men had to get to the dance early to fill their dance card. The Dance Folkus Colonial Heritage Dancers will present a bracket of dance styles popular in the Waikato at this time. The audience will have an opportunity to join in during the session.” Dance Folkus Director Fiona Murdoch.