A Two-Step Quadrille, Pittsburgh, 1894

Here's a simple two-step quadrille that can be introduced with minimal practice time to any group of dancers familiar with the two-step of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. 

This three-figure set was published in 1894 by H. R. Basler, a music publisher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The figures are by Professor J. P. Brooks, presumably the James P. Brooks listed in a directory of dance teachers in M. B. Gilbert's Round Dancing as a Pittsburgh dancing master.  Brooks is listed as the creator of the American Gavotte, a bland little polka sequence also published in Gilbert's tome.  This quadrille is not wildly original either, but it's easy and a fun little excuse to two-step with everyone of the opposite sex in the set.

The sheet music for this quadrille is held in the Ralph Page Collection (Milne Special Collections, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, New Hampshire).  The music is by Horace Basler himself, who was apparently a composer as well as a music publisher.  The Pittsburgh Sheet Music Collection at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh holds quite a few pieces of music published, variously, by H. R. Basler; the Basler Music Publishing Co.; and Basler's Music House, all between 1879 and 1901, and many also composed by Basler.  

While dance instructions are on the sheet music, a slightly more detailed version appears in the 1917-1918 edition of Clendenen's Quadrille Book and Guide to Etiquette, which incorporates  B. Coanacher's Fashionable Quadrille Call Book and Guide to Etiquette, 1909.  Both the Clenenden and the Coanacher collections were published in Chicago, so the quadrille did get some exposure outside Pittsburgh.

Despite the reprint in Clendenen, I would not consider this quadrille a fashionable dance for 1917.  I don't know when the first edition of the Clendenen manual was published (one earlier edition is online), but judging from the fashions on the cover, I would guess the mid-1890s, and it does not appear that Clendenen cared much about current dance trends in the later editions. The instructions in the book note that the quadrille was adopted by the American Society of Professors of Dancing in the September of 1894.

Here's how to dance it:

Figure 1 (8b + 24b x4)
8b    Introductory bows/courtesies (does not repeat)
8b    Head couples two-step across and back
4b    All forward and back
2b    All forward
2b    All back, gentlemen taking the lady at their left as their new partner
8b    All two-step around the set with new partners (return to gentleman's place)
Repeat three times; on the third and fourth iterations, the side couples two-step at the start.

Figure 2 (8b + 32b x4)
8b    Introductory music (does not repeat)
8b    Heads couples two-step across and back
8b    Side couples two-step across and back
2b    All forward
2b    Gentlemen back to places; ladies make back circle in center, taking hands, facing partners
4b    Ladies two-step one place to the right (clockwise) (1b) and turn left hands with new partner (3b)
8b    All two-step around with new partner
Repeat three times; on the third and fourth iteration, the side couples two-step first, then the head couples.

Figure 3 (8b + 32b x4)
8b    Introductory music (does not repeat)
4b    All move one-quarter round the set; ladies inside to the right (counter-clockwise), gents outside to the left (clockwise)
4b    All two-hand turn new partner
8b    All two-step around with new partner
4b    All forward and back
4b    Ladies only return to original places
8b    All two-step around with new partners
Repeat three times.

Reconstruction/performance notes
The instructions are very straightforward, but I've added two minor details -- the change of lead couples on the third and fourth iterations of Figure 2, and specifying the ladies moving inside/gentlemen outside in Figure 3.  I've also added in the standard introductory eight bars for each figure, which are allowed for in the music even though not mentioned in the dance instruction.

Steps: Brooks specifies that the forward/back moves and the changes of place in the third figure are done with plain walking steps.  All other figures use the simple two-step (step-close-step) of the era, described in detail here.

Note that in Figure 2, the gentlemen need to start the left-hand turn on their right foot in order to be on he correct foot to start the turning two-step that follows it.

Brooks does not specify whether the two-step across and back in Figures 1 and 2 is done forward in military position, turning in closed position, or a mix of both (forward across the set; turning back).  I would interpret it as a turning two-step.  Certainly the "two-step around" the entire set in each figure would be turning.

In Figure 3, the ladies really do just go a quarter round to the right and then return to their places during each iteration of the dance.  The gentlemen actually go all the way around the set by the end of the fourth time through.

Music Notes
The original sheet music consists of three short pieces, all in 6/8 time:

Figure 1: two strains, 8b and 16b.  Play A BA BA BA BA.

Figure 2: three strains, 8b, 16b, 8b.  Play A BCA BCA BCA BCA

Figure 3: three strains, 8b, 16b, 8b.  Play A BCA BCA BCA BCA

In the absence of the original sheet music (a copy of which may be ordered from the University of New Hampshire), any set of two-steps played in the proper musical pattern will work just fine.

Special thanks to Nancy at UNH for speeding me a scan of the sheet music!

Comments

[Sarah Clarke]

Hi Susan!

I was told to reach out to you from Jane Austen from the York Regency Dancers.

I am the experiential marketing manager for my client, Tourism Prince Edward Island. This year we are creating an augmented reality dance experience.

We are looking to hire an experienced dancer to assist in choreographing some dance steps. Specifically the dance style is:

Waltz/Quadrille – something more classic (we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown conference)

We would need the dancer to come to our studio on Thursday, May 15th to teach our actor the dance steps. Do you have anyone I could consult with on this and help me to come up with the appropriate steps? If not, can you recommend another dance company that may be able to assist?

Thank you!
Sarah