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Groton History Center Holiday Open House, Boutwell House, 172 Main Street, Saturday, Dec. 2, 11-2
Footwork & Frolick Society Performing at the Groton History Center’s Holiday Open House, Dec 2, 11 – 2
The Footwork & Frolick Society, of Groton, whose mission is, in part, to bring the romance of 18th- and 19th-century New England entertainments to life, will show off Civil War-era dances at the Groton History Center’s Holiday Open House. Join the party at the historic Boutwell House at 172 Main Street, and launch the spirit of the solstice season on Saturday, December 2, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy holiday décor, hot cider, and sweet refreshments in an elegant setting while watching hoop skirts sway to the light-stepping music of the once popular Quadrille and waltzes.
Catherine Dignam and her husband James Sabino, of Groton, two of the six founding members of the Footwork & Frolick Society, bring years of experience in contemporary ballroom and vintage dances to the newly formed group. The couple has performed here and abroad, traveling to Denmark for the International Dance Institute, and to France for the annual Fête Gallante at Versailles.
Other members, all with professional day jobs, bring a variety of skills to the Society, not least costume design. “Women wore a lot of undergarments in those days,” observes Catherine Dignam (Society co-director), whose sewing skills, along with those of her husband (Treasurer of the Society) have grown exponentially in recent years. All costumes are hand-stitched and embroidered where it shows. A sewing machine comes in handy for hidden seams and tucks.
As important as recreating vintage dances and pastimes are to the Society, its overriding mission involves deepening community engagement, enhancing sense of place, and opening up the iconic ballroom to people historically excluded for reasons of race and disabilities.
All are welcome free to the GHC’s Holiday Open House, thanks to the generosity of the Groton Commissioners of Trust Funds as well as public and private donations. For more information, visit [email protected], [email protected], or call 978-5121-0092. For Footwork & Frolick, https://www.footworkandfrolick.org).
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2069835-0
