May I Have This Dance? - Lecture & Exhibit Opening
Join the Weston History & Culture Center and social dance historian, Susan de Guardiola, for the exhibit opening and lecture - "May I Have This Dance?" – on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 2pm at the Weston History & Culture Center, 104 Weston Road in Weston, CT. Free for members and $10 for non-members. Limited Seating, advanced registration/tickets here.
Social dance historian, Susan de Guardiola, will discuss the exciting changes in dance and music in the years from the sinking of the Titanic through World War I. Hear about the early appearances of familiar ballroom dances like the tango and the foxtrot, long before Dancing with the Stars. Learn about the long-vanished dance fads like the Grizzly Bear, Maxixe, and Lulu Fado. Susan also dives into the lives of some of the remarkable dancers and musicians of the era.
Then explore the companion exhibit, "May I Have This Dance?", featuring rare social dance ephemera from the World War I / Titanic era from the private collection of Susan de Guardiola. The exhibit includes original early 20th century dance manuals, rare sheet music, and actual dance cards relating to the early days of ballroom dances such as the tango and foxtrot! Browse the cases while enjoying the exhibit soundtrack of popular ragtime dance music of the 1910s.
About Susan de Guardiola: Susan de Guardiola is a dance historian, teacher, and caller. Based in New Haven, CT, she teaches, leads balls and other dance events, and serves as resident instructor for The Elegant Arts Society. Susan also teaches cross-step waltz and conducts gender-role-free dance workshops. She has also been known to admit to a taste for Disco line dances. She is a popular dance leader at major New England dance festivals and dance weeks. She has taught historical social dance of various eras in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Colorado, Virginia, Louisiana, Ontario, and more. She also has taught in St. Petersburg, Russia.
