A Weekend at Netherfield

There's something truly special about the Regency Intensive hosted by the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers in April (this was our second year of the event). Attendees spend all day in dance classes, followed by an evening dance for more practice, with more class on Sunday morning. By the time the grand ball rolls around on Sunday night, all that torture dancing has created a bond among the group, and it makes the evening feel like you're really in the Regency at a house party for the weekend.
This year was smaller than last year, and almost all of the attendees were there last year too, so it was quite the merry and energetic party! There were also some new faces, who were all lovely and a lot of fun to get to know.

waltzing at the Saturday evening dance

After all that class, it was especially fun to take a break on Sunday afternoon with some period card games, tea, and a theatrical! It also ended up being quite period in our gender segregation...there were historical swords on offer (being demonstrated, at least), so we ended up with almost all the ladies at tea and almost all the gents off other places. Totally accidental! Then everyone came back together to watch the more dramatically inclined perform scenes from The Rivals, by Richard Sheridan. Although the comedy premiered in 1775, it remained popular throughout the Regency period, and was later made into a 1930s musical and a 1950s movie.

watching a scene from The Rivals

 It was a truly wonderful (but totally exhausting!) weekend, and I'm glad I was able to be a part of it. Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures, but only because I was too busy dancing! I am totally ok with that trade-off.

But here's what I did take!

Saturday Evening:

Sunday Afternoon:

French playing cards featuring Napoleon and Josephine

We played Commerce for most of the afternoon. Commerce is a regency-era card game where players take turns trying to create the best possible hand (with three of a kind being the highest) by trading cards from the three they hold with the "widow" (the set of cards face-up on the table). It's a lot of fun!

Sunday night reception and ball:

prepping refreshments

Hamilton Hall has a musicians' balcony--so cool!

obligatory artsy refreshments shot!