(Often a fancy dress ball will include a prearranged quadrille featuring a set of themed costumes -- matching or "naturally associated" with each other. This might be the opening dance of the ball following the grand march or might be later, or there might be several during the evening. Here are some ideas from the 1880s and 1890s for such quadrilles. I particularly like the "naturally associated" pairing of Politicians and Nuns in the 1892 source!)
A full list of the sources from which these descriptions are taken is at the bottom of this post.
A marked feature at most Fancy Balls is a specially-arranged Quadrille. The choice is a large one. The following have from time to time been given: --Watteau, Poudré, Louis Quinze, Shepherds and Shepherdesses, when both ladies and gentlemen wear the hair powdered and the costumes which everybody associates with these characters. A Louis Quinze Hunting Quadille in the hunting dress of that period. A Quadrille of All Nations, embracing all nationalities, the ladies and gentlemen of the same countries dancing together, the gentlemen occasionally carryng the national flag; Scotch, Irish, King and Queen, Army and Navy, Flowers of the Year, Venetian Vandyke, Pack of Cards, Fairy Tale, Joe Willett and Dolly Varden, Puritan and Cavalier. The time when such Quadrilles are danced, and the partners are all pre-arranged. (Holt, 1880)
At some fancy balls quadrilles are arranged beforehand, in which all the dancers are to be dressed after the fashion of some particular period. One of these quadrilles should open the ball, and others may be interspersed in the programme at irregular intervals. (Armstrong, c1880s)
A marked feature at most Fancy Balls is a specially-arranged Quadrille. The choice is a large one. The following have from time to time been given: --Watteau, Poudré, Noah's Ark, Cracker, Constellation, Domino, Hobby-Horse, Seasons, Bouquet, Bird, Louis Quinze; Shepherds and Shepherdesses, when both ladies and gentlemen wear the hair powdered and costumes associated with these characters; a Louis Quinze Hunting Quadille in the hunting dress of that period. A Quadrille of All Nations, embracing all nationalities, the ladies and gentlemen of the same countries dancing together, the gentlemen occasionally carryng the national flag; Scotch, Irish, King and Queen, Army and Navy, Flowers of the Year, Venetian, Vandyke, Pack of Cards, Fairy Tale, Joe Willett and Dolly Varden, Puritan and Cavalier. The time when such quadrilles are danced, and the partners are all pre-arranged. (Holt, 1887)
Among the many quadrilles from which to select a subject for this one dance, which may include other sets of the guests, are the following and it must be understood that the gentlemen of the set in most of the cases must be dressed alike and the ladies also; and that the costumes must belong to the same period or be naturally associated together: Shepherds and Shepherdesses; the Seasons; Watteau and Poudré periods; Louis Quinze Hunting Quadrille, in the hunting costume of that period; Kings and Queens of various nations; Army and Navy; Holbein Quadrille in Tudor dress; Flowers of the Year; Birds; Pack of Cards; Puritan Maidens and Cavaliers; Noah's Ark, (the animals in pairs); National Games; Politicians and Nuns; Policemen and Nurse Girls; Dudes and Tailor-made Girls; Clowns and Fairies; in fact, anything of the kind that may suggest itself to the hostess or committee of arrangements, who plans when such a dance shall take place and who are to take part in it. (Butterick, 1892)
A marked feature at most Fancy Balls is a specially arranged Quadrille. The choice is a large one. The list includes; -- Watteau, Poudré, Noah's Ark, Cracker, Constellation, Domino, Hobby-Horse, Seasons, Bird, Louis Quinze, Shepherds and Shepherdesses, when both ladies and gentlemen wear the costumes associated with these characters. For a Louis Quinze Hunting Quadrille they appear in the hunting dress of that period; for a Holbein Quadrille in the Tudor dress; a Quadrille of all Nations, embracing all nationalities, the ladies and gentlemen of the same countries dancing together, the gentlemen occasionally carrying the national flag are all good. In an Italian and Swiss Quadrille, each couple preserve the same coloring. In Black and White the ladies are entirely robed in white with powdered hair; the gentlemen in black costumes of the time of Edward III., with black masks and pointed shoes, hanging sleeves. Stuart and Georgian characters make good quadrilles, and Pierre and Pierrettes, Punch and his wife, and Spanish Men and Maidens in various colorings. In a Toy Quadrille, toys such as tops, Dutch dolls, battledores and shuttlecocks appear. For an Octave, ladies and gentlemen are dressed in black and white, each carry bells which tinkle as they walk. For Chivalry, the gentlemen are in armour, and the ladies in the dress of the period. Scotch, Irish, King and Queen, Army and Navy, Flowers of he Year, Venetian, Vandyke, Pack of Cards, Fairy Tale, Butterflies, Joe Willett and Dolly Varden, Puritan and Cavalier also find favour. The time when such quadrilles are danced, and the partners, are all pre-arranged. (Holt, 1896)
Descriptions of Poudré, Shepherdess, Vandyke, and Butterfly costumes are already posted elsewhere on Historical Fancy Dress, with more to come!
Sources:
Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 2nd Edition, Illustrated. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1880.
Armstrong, Lucie. The Ball-Room Guide. London and New York: Frederick Warne & Co., c1880s.
Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
Masquerade and Carnival. New York: The Butterick Publishing Company, 1892.
Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, Sixth Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1896.
The 1896 edition of Holt may be found online at the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.
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