Welcome to my site!
I am a social dance historian, meaning I study the history of social dance, not theatrical forms like ballet, tap, etc. I teach historical dance classes, lecture on dance history, write about dance, and deliver papers at academic conferences. I lead balls and social dancing at events in historical costume, occasionally choreograph and perform, and DJ for blues, swing, and other dance styles. I am available for hire for any and all of these and for private lessons and classes online or in person.
I specialize in the nineteenth century (Regency, Jane Austen, Victorian, Civil War, Gilded Age, etc.) but teach material as far back as the Renaissance and as far forward as the 1910s, with a few stray later dances as well. I also teach a variety of modern social dance forms, including cross-step waltz.
But where is the blog????
Capering & Kickery’s blog is still in the process of restoration after its host Typepad’s having shut down on September 30, 2025 and the resulting transition to WordPress. No content has been lost, but every single post (over 1500 of them) needs to be checked over, have its layout redone, and have any images, music snippets, and/or video files uploaded. In addition, I’ll be fixing broken links and creating a full site index.
(10/7 update: I have begun restoring blog posts at the rate of three or four a day – check the Blog page to see the current (very small) archive of restored posts. This will be a slow process, so please check back regularly to watch Kickery rejuvenate!)
While all this is happening in the background, I have plenty of other things going on over the next six weeks or so. I hope some of you will be able to join me at either my Bridgerton masquerade ball in Connecticut or my Remembrance Day ball in Pennsylvania or one of my classes! Check the restored Calendar page for a full list of upcoming classes and events!
Thanks for your patience, and I hope to see you on the dance floor soon!
Susan de Guardiola
