Dance Assemblies in Georgian Edinburgh
(Alena Shmakova)
The Dance Assembly in Edinburgh could be traced back to 1710 when the semi-private club was organised in the Old Town. Faced with strong criticism from the church and residents it did not last. However, the second attempt to enliven the social dance scene led by the well-established female society leaders was successful. Edinburgh Assembly was formed in 1723 and created the model by which the Assemblies ran for the next 100 years in Edinburgh and major Scottish towns. Dance Assemblies created a further demand for skilled dancing masters, musicians, and collections of dances, some of which formed the foundation of the repertoire of modern Scottish country dances. They also provided further opportunities to express Scottish identity through dance and music, creating such interesting dance forms as Strathspey Minuet and Scotch Reel and culminating in the Scottish themed Balls during the historical visit of George IV to Edinburgh in 1822.
My poster presentation will focus on analysing the roles of Dance Assemblies in Scottish society during the Enlightenment. In addition, I am interested in exploring how the developing ideas of national identity were reflected in the most fashionable ballrooms in Scotland. As such I would pay special attention to the dance practice of Edinburgh Assemblies at the time of the Royal Visit of George IV in 1822 organised by Sir Walter Scott.
Dr Alena Shmakova, Edinburgh, Great Britain:
Dr Alena Shmakova is a dance historian based in Edinburgh, Scotland. She teaches and performs historical dance as part of Les Danses Antiques since 2013 focusing on social dances from the XVII – XIX centuries. Her research interests include Russian influences in the British dance repertoire of 18th and 19th centuries and Scottish dance scene during the Enlightment period. The later project she is doing as a research volunteer at the National Trust for Scotland. Alena is a board member of the Early Dance Circle.
