FREE DANCE CLASSES BEGIN OCTOBER 24 FOR FIRST NIGHT PERIOD BALL AT OLD STATE CAPITOL

SPRINGFIELD, IL - The Old State Capitol invites you to dance the night away, 1800s style, on New Year's Eve - and they'll even show you how.

 

            Free weekly lessons begin Monday, October 24 to prepare participants for the 19^th Century Period Ball slated for the Old State Capitol State Historic Site during the First Night Springfield celebration.  The lessons will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. every Monday night through December 19 at Springfield's Hoogland Center for the Arts.  Dancers will be required to wear period clothing during the New Year's Eve ball; however, period clothing is not required for the dance lessons, nor will it be required for First Night visitors who want to watch the dances being performed.

 

            The lessons will be given by the Springfield International Folk Dancers, and will feature traditional dance steps that were popular during Abraham Lincoln's time including the polka, waltz, quadrille, square, contra, varsouvienne, mazurka, and round dances.  The lessons are sponsored in part by the Springfield Area Arts Council, and are free and open to the public.

 

            The Nineteenth Annual First Night Springfield is a family-oriented, non-alcoholic, New Year's Eve celebration of the arts held in a variety of locations in downtown Springfield.  First Night features something for everyone - a variety of music, dance, theater, and visual art performances.

 

            The Old State Capitol State Historic Site, administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (www.Illinois-History.gov), was built in 1839 and was the seat of Illinois government until 1876.  It is open Tuesday through Saturday for free public tours.