Festival of Ideas 2026: Place and Space
Sunday 7th June, 2-5pm
St Lawrence Church Hall
Learn how people danced at the top levels of society throughout time.
Discover how courtly life functioned and how dance played an important part in the political roleplay of the time.
We'll look at dance in Medieval courts across Europe, the Tudor court of Henry VIII and the moves that would have impressed Queen Charlotte (of Bridgerton fame).
As well as learning the history you'll have a chance to perfect these skills yourself as we learn a selection of dances through time.
This is a practical workshop. Please wear suitable shoes for dancing.
Cake, Tea and Coffee will be provided.
What do I need to bring?
Please wear sensible shoes for dancing and I would encourage you to bring water with you (although a kitchen is avaiable on site to access water and refill waterbottles if necessary).
What if I don’t have a partner?
No need to worry- theres no need to bring a partner! Historic dancing is a very sociable activity and everybody who wishes to dance shoudl be able to dance.
How do you get to the venue?
The event is taking place at St Lawrence Community Hall, Lawrence Street, York, YO10 3WP. St Lawrence Community Hall is easy to access by car, on foot, or via public transport. They’re located on York’s inner ring road, just outside the city walls. There are plenty of parking spaces at the Hall, either to the rear of the Hall itself, or behind the Church. There is a bus stop just outside the Hall, with frequent service to the city centre. They’re approximately 10 minutes by bus from York Rail Station, and 5 minutes from York University.
What about if I have an allergen or dietary requirement you need to know about?
We will be providing tea, coffee and cake during the interval of the dance. If you have an allergens or dietary requirements you think would be affected by this please contact us on dancethepast@gmail.com
What if I have more questions?
Please feel free to contact us on dancethepast@gmail.com if you have any further questions.