Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society

03/09/2026

We are dancing at the Belton Community Festival this weekend, displaying a range of dances from the Georgian, Regency and Victorian eras. We are performing on Sunday at 12:55pm and again at 2:55pm, with different dances each time. Its FREE to come along. It would be great to see everyone there!

📢Have you heard? You can visit Belton for FREE this weekend!

The Community Festival is this Saturday and Sunday! As well as making the most of all that Belton has to offer, from the outdoor playground to the gardens, house and parkland, you can also enjoy around 75 stalls from community groups and local makers packed with crafts, gifts and treats, as well as food and drink from Oh La La Loaded Fries, Coco’s Caribbean Kitchen, Gelston Lamb, Banjaraa, Crêpe Lucette and Zest Bar. Plus, entertainment throughout the weekend with performances on stage, demonstrations, and music in the mansion.

Don't miss out, come along this weekend and see what Belton and the local area has to offer!

Thank you to event sponsors LNER, Grantham Town Council, Belton Woods and Allison Homes.

Image: National Trust/Stuart Wilde Photography

23/08/2026

This evening, we were back and starting to get ready for our performances (yes plural - we are doing two!) for Belton House’s Community Festival on Sunday 6th September. We are performing at 12:55pm and again at 2:55pm.

It is a FREE entry day to come and look around the house, gardens and wider grounds, whilst also having lots of activities, stalls and performers there to see too!

The video from tonight is the first time we have ever danced The Spanish Waltz (c.1822) and what a lovely dance it is too! (This is an adapted version as the original is close hold waltzing round instead of promenade). Music is by Smash the Windows. We will be performing it at Belton House as well as lots of other dances too, so come along to see us, support us or just to say hello!

16/08/2026

Today, we enjoyed a fabulous day at Newstead Abbey with family and friends. With the slightly cooler weather, we had a lovely picnic, followed by some dancing - we did some dances for people to watch and then Vicky taught some new dances for everyone. We then danced My Lord Byron’s Maggot as you can’t go to their ancestral home and not dance it!

Music:
- Rats Quadrille Parts 1 and 2 by Spare Parts
- Upon a Summers Day, My Lord Byron’s Maggot and Comical Fellow by Pemberley players
- Picnicke Waltz and Sir Charles Cotton’s Hornpipe by Green Ginger

16/08/2026

On Saturday 1st August 2026, several of our members attended the Regency Ball held at the Bankfield Museum in Halifax. With live music from the wonderful Pemberley Players and calling by Reg Battle, it was a fun evening as always.

We danced many dances including those in the video - The Prince Regent, De’il Take the Warr, The Spaniard, and The Accomplished Maid.

15/08/2026

Bonnets and Breeches’ annual picnic at Newstead Abbey is tomorrow - Sunday 16th August. Do come along and have a fun day out with friends and family.

We will meet outside the front of the house at 11am and then make our may around the back to near Boatswain’s monument (14 on the map). There we will delight in a picnic (bring your own food and drink and something to sit on), some lawn games and even some historical dancing!

It always makes for a fun day out and we look forward to seeing you there! 😄

Please note there is a £7 car park fee and whilst it is free to enter the grounds, optional entry to the house is an additional cost (please see their website for more info).

09/08/2026

Today, several members of Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society attended the National Trust Grantham House’s second Community Showcase event. This is a free event for people to showcase what they do, with music, dance, craft stalls and more on show. We were delighted to be asked to perform two sets, each with different dances. We were thrilled with how many people were there and clapping us along. It was also wonderful to meet and chat to those who came and said hello!

We danced:
- Bridgerton theme tune (not in video)
- Rats Quadrille Parts 1 and 2 (music by Spare Parts)
- Jackey Tarr (music by Stuart Marsden for the Historical Dance Society)
- Mr Beveridge’s Maggot, Upon a Summer’s Day and My Lord Byron’s Maggot (music by Pemberley Players)
- The Magic Mirror (music by Green Ginger)
- Zephyrs and Flora (music by Copious Notes)

Here is a video showing snippets of the dances. Full videos of each dance will soon be on our Youtube channel.

09/08/2026

Today is the day we are at National Trust Grantham House’s Community Showcase. Its is FREE entry so do come along to say hello and see us perform a wide range of historical dances! We are performing at 11:40am and 1pm. See you there 😄

It's Community Showcase day tomorrow! 🎉

Come and enjoy a wonderful day of music in the lovely gardens of Grantham House. The day will be a celebration of local talent, showcasing fantastic musicians and varied performers from the area who'll be entertaining crowds on the lawns.

See you there, from 10.30am to 4.30pm with free entry for everyone.

04/08/2026

We are thrilled that Newark Town Council have been nominated for the History Heroes award, encouraging locals to find out more about the area’s history and past, including supporting our Eve of Waterloo ball back in June and our upcoming Trafalgar Day Ball next year. Please do show your support by voting!

We can finally tell you our incredible secret!

Newark Town Hall and Spotlight Gallery

We're thrilled to have been shortlisted for Everyday History Heroes 2026, a national celebration of the organisations, places and people keeping local history alive.

The award has been kindly sponsored by Findmypast and Heritage Open Days

Public voting is now open and we'd love your support.

To show your support, please do vote for us on
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/c/everyday-history-heroes-east-midlands

03/08/2026

On Sunday 9th August, we are performing at the National Trust’s Grantham House Community Showcase at 11:40am and 1pm. We have chosen a wide selection of dances to show people and pracised them last night, as well as some others.

Last night we danced:

- Bridgerton Dance
- Rats Quadrille Part 1
- Rats Quadrille Part 2 (a snippet in video - music by Spare Parts)
- Jackey Tarr
- Mr Beveridge’s Maggot
- Magic Mirror
- Upon a Summer’s Day
- Zephyrs and Flora
- My Lord Byron’s Maggot
- The Touchstone
- Indian Queen

We also have our annual picnic on Sunday 16th August from 11am, at Newstead Abbey - do come and join us! (Weather permitting)