Dancing Assemblies were held in the City Tavern, pictured to the left of the Bank of Philadelphia, from around 1773-1791. Its central location and weekly high-society events made it the social and economic heart of the city in the late 18th century.
Sketch of the City Tavern circa 1780’s. (Courtesy of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania)
In the domain of elite society in 18th Century Philadelphia, no other group had quite the influential flare as the Philadelphia Dancing Assembly. Established in 1749 by a group of gentlemen involved in the city’s political, professional, and mercantile businesses, the Dancing Assembly was modeled after London and Bath Assemblies of gentility and high-society entertainment. Participants and subscribers of the exclusive club utilized the weekly assemblies to show off their dancing talents, or participate in conversation and card games while eating and drinking the night away. Both a determinant of social status and an opportunity to mingle with Philadelphia’s single elite, a colonial gentleman or lady could display their extraordinary taste in leisure activities, privileged wardrobe, and dancing prowess at a gathering. Interestingly, religious affiliations were not a consideration in determining eligibility.
Among the notable member families were the Bond’s, Shippen’s, Plumstead’s, and our favorite socialite family, the Hamilton’s! Seasonal ticket purchases confirm our own William Hamilton and his family were among the fashionable, social gentility taking part in Dancing Assembly events of the late 18th century. [1]
Special Dancing Assembly events took place around Philadelphia in grand venues of political and social acclaim, including City Tavern at 2nd and Walnut Streets and OEller’s Hotel, on the south side of Chestnut Street, between 5th and 6th Streets. Live music filled the gatherings each year between the months of January and May, as 10 couples at a time participated in formal “minuets” and rowdy “country dances”.
October 1, 1772 Assembly Ticket. (Courtesy of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania)
Couples waiting for their turn to dance were encouraged to mingle, play cards, and enjoy a variety of wines, liquors, teas, coffees, chocolate, and simple cakes or biscuits. Single men were encouraged to officially court the single women they were paired with. Dancing Assembly gatherings even took place during the American Revolution (though much less frequently than other years) as Philadelphia was a hub of political, social, and military activity. They were a setting of communication between domestic and international leaders as well as leisurely escapism from the troubles of war time; a diversion or distraction afforded to the city’s elite.
A ‘minuet’ would generally begin every formal ball in the 18th century as an honorable tradition. A minuet began with formal bows and curtsies, followed by specific steps in a “S” pattern. (Illustrations from Kellom Thomlinson’s Art of Dancing, London, 1735)
Publications like this would be accessible only to the upper class in the U.S. to learn the proper etiquette.
Dancing Assembly gatherings became such an exciting cultural institution for the city that they attracted families of the highest regard. During his presidency, George Washington’s birthday was celebrated in special Dancing Assembly balls and it is recorded in member correspondences that Washington himself attended various member events when Philadelphia was the capital of the United States. So, the Hamilton’s were dancing among quite important company! Their membership in the Philadelphia Dancing Assembly exemplified their elite wealth and social prominence in the city, and the legacy of the Assembly cannot be understated. In Philadelphia, the Dancing Assembly continued throughout the 19th and well into the 20th centuries. The spirit of high-society mingling and entertainment also inspired similar membership-based gatherings in cities all across the developing United States. At each, the dress, manner, and dancing skill of each family further elevated their social status.
After 1791, Dancing Assemblies were held in the famous Oeller’s Hotel, pictured on the far right, recounted in traveler publications as having an elegant room in the French fashion, (Courtesy of the Library Company of Philadelphia)
To celebrate a tradition of the Hamilton family, (with a nod to Jane Austen too!), The Woodlands is hosting Jane Austen Night, Friday, February 28th, featuring the Germantown Country Dancers. For one night only enjoy seasonal treats, drinks, dance like the elite members of Philadelphia Dancing Assembly members did so many years ago. How will your dancing skills compare?
Learn more about Jane Austen Night and get tickets here.
Written by: Nicole Felicetti
1. Brooks, Lynn Matluck. "The Philadelphia Dancing Assembly in the Eighteenth Century." Dance Research Journal 21, no. 1 (1989): 1-6. Accessed February 4, 2020. doi:10.2307/1478608.