Learning to Dance–The Recency Dance Master - Random Bits of Fascination

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Learning to Dance–The Recency Dance Master

A satire on pretensions to be fashionable showing an ungainly young man being instructed in dancing by a lithe fashionable teacher, who had curl papers in his hair, one of which is lettered “Newton” and another “Locke on Understanding” and who holds his pupil by the hand, while pointing to his own feet. The pupil has a handkerchief in his pocket and a paper lettered “The Lads a Dunce”. A violinist sits in front to the left, another instrument (described by Stephens as an ear trumpet) leaning against his chair, books, incuding one entitled “The Hornpipe Seriously considered”, lie on the ground at his feet and two kittens play in his violin case. At the back, beneath a paper reading “GROWN Gentlemen taught …”, another pupil wearing spotty stocking, his cane beside him, awaits his turn for a lesson while his feet are held in a trough forcing them to turn out. On the wall behind is a full-length picture of an elegant dancier. 27 June 1767 Etching and engraving

Given the importance of dance during the Regency era, dance instructors could play a crucial part in a young person’s social future. Professional dance masters stepped up to fill the all-important role. Who were these dance masters and how did they instruct their pupils?