Newport Vintage Dance Week

18th Annual
Newport Vintage Dance Week
August 15-21, 2005
Portsmouth and Newport, RI

Waltzing at the Astors' Beechwood, photo by Susan Wilson

ABOUT NEWPORT VINTAGE DANCE WEEK

Join us at the 2005 Newport Vintage Dance Week, a summer dance holiday held in the playground of the Gilded Age. The famous Newport mansions, with their breathtaking opulence and some of America´s finest ballrooms, as well as the area´s dramatic natural beauty and other diverse attractions will provide the venues for several Dance Week events and offer many charming options to occupy dancers´ free time. The lovely, peaceful, seaside campus of Portsmouth Abbey School in Portsmouth, RI, will once again be our home away from home.

Classes

A hallmark of the Newport Vintage Dance Week is its combination of an excellent program of dance instruction with a relaxed environment. Classes are carefully designed to cover material ranging from basic steps and technique to more challenging choreographies and improvisation.

Instruction during three classes will focus on the popular ballroom dances of the mid- and late- 19th Century (including waltz, polka, mazurka, galop, schottische, and quadrille) and of the ragtime era (tango, one-step and others). This year classes will be offered as well in dances of the 1920's. At all levels, emphasis is placed on dances that will be featured during the evening balls, so that dancers may immediately experience the joy and satisfaction of applying what they learn in the context of an exquisite social event. Most classes are designed as tracks built around related material; continuity from day to day fosters cumulative benefit through the week.

Special Events

Balls are at the heart of any vintage dance week, and Newport Vintage Dance Week continues its tradition of offering balls in some of the America´s most elegant and splendid ballrooms. In 2005, our 1890´s ball will be held at the Astors´ Beechwood mansion. Other evenings include the the mid-19th century ball at Newport´ s Rotunda Ballroom , and the ragtime era (early 20th century) dinner dance at Glen Manor House. Our traditional fancy dress ball will be held on the Portsmouth Abbey School campus. The theme for this ball will be The Grand Tour: Alpine Meadows to Roman Ruins.

Non-dancing activities include an optional group tour of one of the Gilded Age Newport mansions. Afternoon teas, a formal dinner, a New England lobster fest, outings, lawn games, informal lectures on period topics and a vintage clothing exchange return as usual features of this special week.

Time has been allowed each afternoon for strolling down to the school's beach, visiting mansions, playing croquet on the school's spacious lawns, walking Newport's Cliff Walk or just relaxing. Tea will be served most days in the late afternoon.

Volunteers

Newport Vintage Dance Week has always depended upon the assistance volunteered by its participants. The week simply could not be what it has been, and what we want it to be, without this generous help. Each participant is asked to sign up to do two "chores" during the week. These include such tasks as ball set-up or clean-up, serving refreshments at an event or decorating. Tasks are designed to take a minimal amount of time and most do not require any special skill.

NEWPORT VINTAGE DANCE WEEK STAFF

Hannah Roberts Artuso, Conference Coordinator, is Co-Director for The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers.

Martha Griffin was introduced to vintage dance on Valentine's Day in 1987 and quickly fell in love. Dancing since the age of six, Martha has extensively studied modern dance techniques, as well as ballet, jazz and tap. She has explored various social dance forms, though vintage has always held a special place in her heart. As assistant director for Polite Society, the performing troupe of the Vintage Dance Society in CT, Martha taught, choreographed and performed at many events.

Richard Powers is an instructor and dance historian on the Stanford Univ. dance faculty, as well as director of the Stanford Vintage Dance Ensemble. Founder of the Flying Cloud Academy of Dance in Cincinnati, OH, Richard is one of the best-known experts in historical social dance. He has taught workshops across the U.S. and abroad. Richard has choreographed for dozens of stage productions and films.

Patri J. Pugliese has researched and taught 19th century dance at a variety of workshops and dance weeks for over 20 years. He is founding director of The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers and was a founding Member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Dance History Scholars. He is also well known for his dance, sabre and bayonet instruction at Civil War reenactments. Barbara M. Pugliese will assist Patri in the teaching of 19th century dance steps.

Joan Walton has taught classes in 19th century, Ragtime, 1920's, and 1930's dance styles at workshops across the U.S., as well as in Australia and the Czech Republic. Her high-energy and focused teaching, and theatrical choreographic style, have become well known to vintage dancers everywhere. Joan was Assistant Director and a dancer with the Flying Cloud Vintage Dance Troupe of Cincinnati for ten years. She has held several visiting professorships of dance. Currently, Joan is a dance teacher and choreographer in the San Francisco area.

THE CAMPUS AND HOW TO REACH IT

Campus

Portsmouth Abbey School is located on 500 idyllic acres at the edge of Narragansett Bay, just north of Newport and next door to The Green Animals Topiary. Many of our activities will be on the "lower campus," centered around the original 1864 Manor House. The "upper campus" consists of a group of buildings designed by award-winning architect Pietro Belluschi. All campus buildings are within walking distance of each other.

Accommodations

We will be staying in attractive dormitories on the lower campus. Each house has a lounge and modern amenities such as laundry and ironing facilities. Most rooms are doubles. A very few rooms are singles. Bathrooms are shared. All linens and blankets are provided. Participants should bring their own beach towels.

This year, we are able to offer limited pre-conference accommodations for Sunday, August 14, for an additional fee. Participants who would like to spend Monday sightseeing in Newport may want to consider this option.

Meals

All meals from Monday dinner through Sunday breakfast are included in the registration fee. They will be served in the school´s dining hall. Vegetarian options are available. Arrangements can be made for those who live nearby and wish to purchase lunches only.

Travel

Participants should plan to arrive on Monday afternoon. Registration will open at 4:00 p.m. Some rides may be available with dancers driving to Newport. For those flying to the workshop, T. F. Green Airport in Providence is the closest airport. Registrants will receive more detailed information about the schedule and travel arrangements.

Reservations

Reservations must be accompanied by a $100 deposit per person, partially refundable until July 1st. The balance must be paid at registration. Please make all checks payable to Commonwealth Vintage Dancers. Reservations will be acknowledged after May 15. Limited financial assistance is available. Contact Hannah Artuso at the address below regarding assistance.

Every effort is being made to balance the sexes.

Registration Partners: (meaning a man and a woman which indicate each other on the registration form) will be accepted immediately if there is space. Please state clearly whether you wish to room together or not. Applying as partners places you under no specific obligation to the other person during the dance week but provides enough partners for everyone at all dances.

Singles: A lottery will be held May 28 for all applicants not applying with a partner. After May 28, anyone not yet confirmed will be placed on a waiting list. Singles will be accepted only when an opposite-sex single applies. Historically, we have had more women apply than men. To get off the waiting list immediately, read the above paragraph carefully. Then find somebody of the opposite sex and reapply as registration partners!

For further information Contact Hannah Artuso using the contact information below.

2005 RESERVATION FORM

Please use the above link to display (and print) a registration form for the 2005 Newport Vintage Dance Week.

For more information about the Newport Vintage Dance Week, please contact Hannah Roberts Artuso at:

E-mail:

Phone: (781) 662-8344 (before 10pm eastern time, please)