Tea dance
A tea dance, also called a thé dansant (French for "dancing tea"), was a dance held in the summer or autumn from 4 to 7 p.m. In the
Books on Victorian-era etiquette included detailed instructions for hosting such gatherings, such as Party-giving on Every Scale (London, n.d. [1880]), which notes that "afternoon dances are seldom given in London, but are a popular form of entertainment in the suburbs, in garrison-towns, watering-places, etc."[1]: 26 Royal Navy officers hosted tea dances aboard ships at various naval stations, the expenses being shared by the captain and officers, as they were shared by colonels and officers at barrack dances in mess rooms ashore.[1]: 27–28
The usual refreshments in 1880 were
World records
Four world-record tea dances have been held in the early 21st century. In Glasgow in December 2008, some 408 dancers gained the record during the city's Winterfest celebrations. The programme of music for the event was provided by the Scottish swing-dance band That Swing Sensation,[3] with dance hosts the Fly Right Dance Company.[4] The previous record was set in 2005 by a total of 195 couples, who danced in London's Trafalgar Square.
Subsequently, the Royal Opera House in London held a world record attempt on 8 July 2010 in Trafalgar Square, with the unofficial total being 507 dancers.
Glasgow's George Square was the venue for the current official record, set on 12 September 2010, with 4,000 dancers.[5][6]
In popular culture
Tea dances are a common cultural reference in early 20th-century British and American fiction as a staple of genteel society. Literary characters normally attend these receptions while visiting
See also
- Hyatt Regency walkway collapse, a structural failure occurred during a hotel tea dance event with over 1,500 people attending.
- Palm court
- Tea (meal)
- Tea party
References
- ^ a b c d e Party-giving on Every Scale, London, n.d. (1880) "Afternoon Dances".
- ^ a b Pettigrew, J., 2001. "Waltz Around a Tea Table," TeaMuse, [online]. July 2001.
- ^ "Glasgow Wedding Swing Big Band - Live Swing Dance Music around Scotland". swingsensation.co.uk.
- ^ "Fly Right Dance Co, performing & teaching vintage dance in Scotland". Fly Right Dance Company.
- ^ "Largest tea dance". Guinness World Records.
- ^ Guinness World Record Tea Dance Award for Glasgow. YouTube. 13 September 2010. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
External links
- The dictionary definition of thé dansant at Wiktionary