BACDS' 1726 Ball
A Choice Selection of Country Dances from the Year 1726
Historical English country dancing for modern feet
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Albany Veterans Memorial Building,
1325 Portland Ave,
Albany, CA
Dancing 6:45p–10:00p
EXPERIENCED DANCERS ONLY*
Dance Leaders: Kalia Kliban, Sharon Green, Mary Luckhardt.
Music by: Judy Linsenberg (recorders), Robert Mealy (violin), David Morris (cello/gamba), Katherine Heater (harpsichord).
*Experience: The 1726 Ball is for experienced English Country Dancers, so instruction will be streamlined. We expect dancers attending this ball to be completely comfortable with heys for three and four, double figure eights, and triple minor progression. They should also be able to maintain their sense of orientation within the set. This is not the time to bring your friends who are new to English country dancing. At the ball there will be one walkthrough, with prompting only as needed.
The Program
About the Ball
We’re delighted to welcome experienced English country dancers to the 1726 Ball—an evening of dances published 300 years ago in Dublin and London, brought to life through modern interpretations by Jackson and Fogg, Charles Bolton, Andrew Shaw, and others. Expect old favorites, surprising versions, and plenty of baroque fun.
An exceptional band of baroque musicians will provide the music. Visit the Talent page to meet them, and the Dances page for instructions, sources, and a video of every dance. A few familiar titles—notably The Collier’s Daughter and Portsmouth—are versions you may not know, so take a look before the Ball.
Period dress is welcome but absolutely optional; comfortable, danceable clothing and shoes are the priority. Half-price Work-Trade registrations are available for dancers willing to help with some of the larger jobs.
Make it a weekend! Friday night includes a dance for all with previews of some of the more challenging Ball dances, and Sunday afternoon brings another English dance in Petaluma. Some hospitality and local transportation help may be available for out-of-town guests.
We look forward to dancing with you in Albany on Saturday, October 17, 2026 — Seventeen-Twenty-Six!