News and Updates
Located at the corner of Chandler’s Road and Dragon’s Trace, across from the Great Hall
The European Dance Tent is a welcoming place to spend time at Pennsic. Enjoy ample shade, iced water, plentiful benches, a beautiful wooden floor, music throughout the day, and, of course, dancing. Join in or simply stop by to watch.
Classes are offered throughout the day, beginning with youth-oriented sessions in the morning and continuing until dinner. In the evening, the lights come on, the music stands go up, and the dancing continues well into the night. Everyone is welcome, and no prior experience is required.
The European Dance department provides logistical support for attendees who wish to learn or participate in dance activities, including scheduling and facilities. These facilities include a large tent with a dance floor and performance space, as well as an amplification system for music used within the tent. European Dance schedules all classes and events held in the tent, but responsibility for the content and conduct of those activities rests with the attendees running them. European Dance is not responsible for classes or events held outside Pennsic’s official dance facilities. Any activity not scheduled through European Dance is considered a private attendee event and is not entitled to Pennsic facilities or support.
Classes and Dancing
Find the schedule on Thing. Pennsicuniversity.org. You can also check the main schedule posted in the Dance Tent and the message boards each day for announcements about balls, revels, and socials.
Instructor Resource: Gender-Neutral Calling
Instructors who wish for an aid to calling dances using a gender-neutral format can find colored sashes on the information table in the European Dance Tent to visually denote dance roles.
Musicians
Greetings to all who are inspired to play music for dancing. There are many opportunities at Pennsic, and musicians are welcome to play most nights in the European Dance Tent as part of Pennsic University. We will also try to match musicians with dance instructors voluntarily. If you would like to play for a class or would like live music for your dance class, please contact the European Dance coordinator, Lady Sonya Flicker called Patches. Musicians of all skill levels and all acoustic instruments, period or modern, are welcome. Stop by the European Dance Tent for more information and for a schedule of activities that welcome dance musicians. We will be playing music arrangements from the Pennsic Pile, available for download here: Pennsic Pile
Most revels welcome pick-up bands, except those specifically noted as closed bands, such as the Contessa’s Red and Gold Ball.
Revels and Socials
Dancing takes place every evening in the Dance Tent, with themed balls, revels, and other merriments throughout the event. We especially encourage you to attend the Beginners’ Ball: every dance will be taught, each dance will be done twice, and no partner or prior experience is needed.
European Dance Schedule
| Date | Time | Event | Details |
| Monday, July 27 to Wednesday, July 29 | 9 PM | Open Dancing and Open Band | |
| Thursday, July 30 | 9 PM | Open Dancing and Open Band | The musicians will choose the dances for the evening. |
| Friday, July 31 | 9 PM | Early Bird Ball | Host: Baroness Gwenllyen the Minstrel. Band leader: THL Siri Toivosdotter. |
| Saturday, August 1 | 9 PM | Contessa’s Red and Gold Ball | Closed band. Host: Countess Judith de Northumbria. Band leader: Master Albrecht Catsprey. |
| Sunday, August 2 | 8 PM | Beginners’ Ball | Host: Magistra Sonya Flicker called Patches. Band leader: Lord Maugorn the Stray. |
| Monday, August 3 | 9 PM | Italian Revel | Host: Mistress Rebecca da Firenze. Band leader: Elizabeth of Dendermonde. |
| Tuesday, August 4 | 8 PM | Blue Feather Ball Preparation Dancing | Open band. |
| Wednesday, August 5 | 9 PM | Pennsic Grand Masked Commedia Ball | Host: Avelina del Dolce. |
| Thursday, August 6 | 10 AM | All Ages Revel | Host: Mistress Rebecca da Firenze. Band leader: Elizabeth of Dendermonde. |
| Thursday, August 6 | 9 PM | Open Dancing by Request |
Ball Set Lists
The dance set lists available so far are below. Additional set lists will be listed on Pennsicwar.org as the information becomes available.
Early Bird Ball
| Set | Dances |
| Set 1 | Black Alman, Half Hannigan, Petite Rose, Rufty Tufty |
| Set 2 | Horses Bransle, Fine Companion, Rostiboli Gioioso, Black Nag |
| Set 3 | Herald’s in Love, Contra Passo-Chigi, Lord of Carnarvon’s Jegg, Gathering Peascods |
| Set 4 | Hunt the Squirrel, Hyde Park, Hit & Miss, Trenchmore |
Beginners’ Ball
| Set | Dances |
| Set 1 | Lorayne Alman, New Bo Peep, Sellinger’s Round, Montarde Bransle, Jenny Plucks Pears |
| Set 2 | Gathering Peascods, Washerwoman’s Bransle, Black Alman, Rufty Tufty, Heart’s Ease, Petit Vriens |
| Set 3 | Pease Bransle, Black Nag, Anello, Rostiboli Gioioso, Upon a Summer’s Day, Amoroso |
| Set 4 | Ly Bens Distonys, Hyde Park, Gelosia, Goddesses |
Italian Revel
| Set | Dances |
| Set 1 | Amoroso, Gelosia, Petit Vriens, Contentezza, Leoncello, Lauro, Gioioso, Contrapasso |
| Set 2 | Pavane & Galliard, Gioioso, Villanella, Lauro, Gracca, Amoroso, Vita di Colino, Contrapasso |
| Set 3 | Petit Rose, Fiamma, Leoncello, Castellana, Voltati, Alta Regina, Contrapasso |
Pennsic Grand Masked Commedia Ball
| Set | Dances |
| Set 1 | Black Alman, Petit Vriens, Jenny Plucks Pears, Ballo del Fiore, Gelosia, New Bo Peep, Pinwheel Game |
| Set 2 | Madam Sosilia’s Alman, Washerwoman’s Bransle, Gracca Amoroso, Rostiboli Gioioso, Amoroso, Heart’s Ease, Rufty Tufty |
| Set 3 | Upon a Summer’s Day, Horses Bransle, Black Nag, La Montarde, Chiara Stella, Gathering Peascods, Bizzarria d’Amore |
