Skip to Content Skip to Main Navigation Skip to Sidebar Navigation Skip to Search Area Skip to Live Chat Skip to Footer
UD Logo
Library, Museums and Press News
  • Research
    • Databases
      • Find a Database
      • How to Connect
      • Report a Problem
      • Status Updates
    • DELCAT Online Catalog
    • Digital Collections
      • Digital Collections Home
      • Highlights
      • AM Quartex
      • UDSpace Institutional Repository
      • JSTOR
      • Finding Aids
      • Online Exhibitions
      • Propose a Digitization Project
      • Copyright Policies
      • Contact
        • Contact Information
        • Location and Hours
    • Film and Video Collection
      • Film and Video Home
      • About
      • Collections
        • Browse Collections
        • Search for Media
        • 16mm Films
        • New Acquisitions
        • Video Games
      • Using Media
        • Circulation and Scheduling
        • Our Spaces
        • Streaming Media
        • Instructional Support
        • Media and Copyright
        • Forms
      • Policies
        • Circulation and Scheduling
        • Collection Development
        • Fines
        • Scheduling Request Form
      • Contact
        • Contact Information
        • Location and Hours
        • Ask Film and Video
        • FAQ
    • Journal Article Search
    • Journal Browse
    • Research Guides
    • Special Collections
    • UDSpace Institutional Repository
      • Go to UDSpace
      • About UDSpace
  • Services
    • Borrow and Renew Materials
      • Borrow and Renew Home
      • How to Find a Book
      • UD Library Self-Checkout
      • Manage My Account
        • My Library Account Information
        • My Library Account Support
        • Telephone Renewal
      • Request Materials
        • Overview
        • All Circulation Forms
        • Book Holds Service Form
        • In-Process Material Request
        • Library Annex Request Form
        • Obtaining a Locker
        • Report a Missing Book
      • For Faculty
        • Authorized Borrower Card Application for Faculty
        • Faculty Research Studies
        • Library Retired Faculty Room
      • For Graduate Students
        • Graduate Student Carrels
      • Borrowing Policies
        • Overview
        • Loan Periods
        • Renewals
        • Public Borrower Information
        • Reciprocal Borrowing Programs
      • Contact
        • Contact Information
        • Location and Hours
        • Staff Directory
        • Ask Help Center
        • FAQ
    • Borrow Equipment/Technology
      • All Equipment and Technology
      • Video Cameras
      • Digital Still Cameras
      • Camera Accessories
      • Laptops, iPads and Drives
      • Audio Equipment
      • Cables
      • Headphones and Other
      • Equipment Borrowing Policies
    • Course Reserves
      • Course Reserves Home
      • For Faculty
      • For Students
      • E-Reserves
    • Digital Initiatives and Preservation
      • Digital Initiatives Home
      • About Digital Initiatives
      • Request a Workshop
      • Contact
        • Contact Information
        • Location and Hours
        • Staff Directory
        • Ask DIP
        • FAQ
    • Forms
    • Interlibrary Loan
      • Interlibrary Loan Home
      • Interlibrary Loan Services
        • Getting Started
        • Article DELivery Service
        • Associate in Arts Program Delivery
        • Distance Learning DELivery Service
        • HathiTrust Accessible Text Request Service
        • Office Delivery
        • SHARES
      • Other Libraries
        • Lending to Delaware Libraries
        • Lending to Other Libraries
        • Registration for University of Delaware ILL Lending
      • Policies
        • Our Policies and Procedures
        • Cancelled Requests
      • Contact
        • Contact Information
        • Ask ILL
        • FAQ
    • Teaching and Learning Services
      • Teaching and Learning Home
      • Request for Teaching Collaboration
      • Teaching and Learning Support
      • What We Teach
        • Data Literacy
        • Digital Badge Programs
        • Research Skills
        • Multimedia
        • Primary Sources
        • Publishing and Sharing Work
      • English 110 Resources
      • Video Tutorials
        • All Tutorials
        • Citation
        • Off-Campus Access
        • Research
        • Subjects
        • Workshops
      • Success Stories
        • Case Study: Undergraduates Engage with History
        • Case Study: Multimedia Instruction
        • Case Study: Using Library Resources to Perform Industry Research
      • Teaching and Learning Directory
      • Open Education Resources
    • Print, Copy and Scan
    • Reference Services
      • Reference Services Home
      • About
      • Research
        • Getting Started
        • Evaluating and Citing Sources
        • Learning More
        • Research Guides
        • Digital Initiatives
      • Teaching and Learning
        • Teaching and Learning Services
        • Workshops
      • Video Tutorials
      • Contact
        • Contact Information
        • Location and Hours
        • Subject Specialists
        • Staff Directory
        • Ask Reference
        • FAQ
        • Recommend for Library Purchase
    • Research Data Services
      • Research Data Services Home
      • About
      • Data Management Resources
      • Data Services Directory
      • Services
      • Contact
        • Contact Information
        • Location and Hours
        • FAQ
    • Reserve Spaces, Lockers, Carrels
    • UD Press
  • Visit
    • Building Information
      • Visiting Information
      • Locations and Hours
      • Library Floor Plan Maps
      • Driving Directions
      • Shuttle Bus Routes
      • Parking
      • Renovations and Updates
      • Restrooms
    • Events and Workshops
      • Upcoming Events and Workshops
      • Past Events
      • Scholar in the Library
    • Branch Libraries
      • Branch Libraries Home
      • Chemistry Library
        • About
        • Services
        • Location and Hours
        • Contact
      • Education Resource Center
        • About
        • Services
        • Location and Hours
        • Contact
      • Marine Studies Library
        • About
        • Services
        • Location and Hours
        • Contact
      • Physics Library
        • About
        • Services
        • Location and Hours
        • Contact
    • Film and Video Collection
      • Film and Video Home
      • About
        • Our Collection
        • Events
      • Collections
        • Browse Collections
        • Search for Media
        • 16mm Films
        • New Acquisitions
        • Video Games
      • Using Media
        • Circulation and Scheduling
        • Our Spaces
        • Streaming Media
        • Instructional Support
        • Media and Copyright
        • Forms
      • Policies
        • Circulation and Scheduling
        • Collection Development
        • Fines
        • Scheduling Request Form
      • Contact
        • Contact Information
        • Location and Hours
        • Ask Film and Video
        • FAQ
    • Museums and Galleries
      • Museums and Galleries Home
      • About
      • News
      • Events
      • Exhibitions
      • Visiting and Services
        • Class Visits and Tours
        • Locations and Hours
        • Museum Galleries
      • Collections
        • About
        • AM Quartex
        • JSTOR
        • Digital Collections
      • Research Tools
        • Overview
        • Finding Aids
        • DELCAT Online Catalog
        • Research Guides
        • Access to Primary Resources
        • Awards and Funding Opportunities
      • Policies
        • Special Collections Policies and Procedures
        • Copyright Restrictions
        • Reproducing Materials
      • Contact
        • Contact Museums
        • Contact Special Collections
        • Staff Directory
        • FAQ
    • Our Spaces
      • Our Spaces Home
      • Directions and Maps
      • Find My Event
      • Hours
      • Reserve a Seat
      • Print, Copy and Scan
      • Spaces
        • All Spaces
        • Inclusive Spaces
        • Study Spaces
        • Make and Create Spaces
        • Learn and Connect Spaces
    • Special Collections
      • Special Collections Home
      • About
      • News
      • Events
      • Exhibitions
      • Visiting and Services
        • Class Visits and Tours
        • Locations and Hours
        • Museum Galleries
      • Collections
        • About
        • AM Quartex
        • JSTOR
        • Digital Collections
      • Research Tools
        • Overview
        • Finding Aids
        • DELCAT Online Catalog
        • Research Guides
        • Access to Primary Resources
        • Awards and Funding Opportunities
      • Policies
        • Special Collections Policies and Procedures
        • Copyright Restrictions
        • Reproducing Materials
      • Contact
        • Contact Museums
        • Contact Special Collections
        • Staff Directory
        • FAQ
    • Student Multimedia Design Center
      • SMDC Home
      • About
      • Multimedia Tips and Tricks
      • Equipment Kits
        • All Equipment Kits
        • Video Cameras
        • Digital Still Cameras
        • Camera Accessories
        • Laptops, iPads and Drives
        • Audio Equipment
        • Cables
        • Headphones and Other
      • Reservations
      • Services
        • Getting Started
        • Microforms
        • Print, Copy and Scan
          • UD ONEcard and Flex
          • Copying
          • Large-Format Printing
          • Printing
          • Scanning
      • Software
        • All Software
        • Audio Software
        • Graphics Software
        • Text Software
        • Video Software
      • Spaces
        • All Spaces
        • Audio Spaces
        • Graphics Spaces
        • Video Spaces
        • Other Spaces
      • Policies
        • General Policies
        • Circulation Policies
        • Reservation Policies
      • Contact
        • Contact Information
        • Location and Hours
        • Staff Directory
        • Ask SMDC
        • FAQ
    • Writing Center
  • About
    • About Library, Museums and Press
    • Building Information
      • Visiting Information
      • Locations and Hours
      • Library Floor Plan Maps
      • Driving Directions
      • Shuttle Bus Routes
      • Parking
      • Restrooms
    • Collections
      • Our Collections
        • DELCAT
        • Digital Collections
        • Curated Collections
        • Film and Video
        • Special Collections
      • Budget Information
      • Open Access
      • Policies
    • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
    • Employment
      • Employment Information
      • Student Employment Information
      • Library Rank and Promotion System
    • Initiatives
      • Mellon Poetry as Activism
      • Open Education Resources
      • Pauline A. Young Residency
      • UDLib/SEARCH
      • Collaborating on a Grant Proposal
    • Library Policies
      • All Library Policies
      • General Library Policies
        • Community Norms
        • Confidentiality of Library Records
        • Copyright and Database License Restrictions
        • Gifts of Materials and Objects
        • Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read, and Code of Ethics
      • Library Facilities Policies
        • Group Study Room Policies
        • Retired Faculty Room Policies
        • Room Reservations for Non-Library Events
      • Library Collection Policies
        • Circulation Policies
        • Collection Development Policy
        • Course Reserve Services and Policies
        • Digital Collections Copyright Policies
        • Film and Video Collection Policies
        • Institutional Repository Policies
        • Interlibrary Loan Policies
        • Special Collections Policies
        • Student Multimedia Design Center Policies
        • Textbook Policy
    • News
      • Library, Museums and Press News
      • Sign up for Mailing List
    • Publications
      • Impact Report
    • Strategic Directions
      • Strategic Directions Home
      • Overview
      • Student Success and Learning
      • Research, Scholarship and Discovery
      • Our Spaces
      • Partnerships and Collaboration
  • Help
    • Ask the Library Chat/Email
    • Disability Assistance
    • E-Resource Status Updates
    • FAQs
    • Off-Campus Access
      • General Information
      • Eduroam
      • OpenAthens Bookmarklet
      • OpenAthens FAQs
      • Permalinks
    • Research Guides
    • Subject Specialists
    • Video Tutorials
  • My Accounts
    • Canvas@UD
    • My Library Account (DELCAT)
    • My Interlibrary Loan Account
    • Staff Intranet Login
    • UD Webmail
  • Hours
    • Morris Library 8am–5pm
    • View All Hours
  • Support Us
    • Making a Gift
    • Friends of the UD Library
      • Overview
      • Faculty Lecture
      • Annual Dinner
      • Book Collecting Contest
      • Research Award
    • Gifts of Materials and Objects
  • Contact Us
    • Call (302) 831-2965
    • Live Chat Daily
    • All Contact Info
    • Subject Specialists
    • Staff Directory
    • Organization Chart
Search Library Resources Search Library Websites
FOR:
IN:
SEARCH
GO TO: Advanced Search | Databases | E-Journals | UDSpace
FOR:
IN:
SEARCH
GO TO: Advanced Search | Events | Research Guides | Online Exhibitions
Keyboard focus is
  • Home
  • News
  • Dancing With the Stars, 1830 Edition
    • Home
    • About
    • Events
    • Sign up for Mailing List
    Library, Museums and Press Staff
    October 18, 2023

    Dancing With the Stars, 1830 Edition

    Sign up to receive news via email

    By David Cardillo, Digital Initiatives and Preservation

     

    Thanks to Dancing With the Stars, when one hears the term “ballroom dance,” they usually conjure images of the waltz or tango along with movies like Dirty Dancing and Shall We Dance? Many dance styles fall under the fairly large umbrella of ballroom dance, which also encompasses any kind of dance involving a partner. As such, it has a very large social component not typically present in other forms of dance.

    A section of the Lewis Family Papers in our Special Collections, which are freely and digitally available, contains written instructions on how to do several 19th-century ballroom dances. These dances would now be considered folk, country or cotillion dances, from which some ballroom dances evolved. At the time, these were the dances the upper echelons of society were practically required to know for formal functions, and the regular folk learned as a matter of social fun and a way to meet new people.

    One of the dances mentioned in this subset of papers, “The Irish Washwoman,” is described below.

    Handwritten instructions for the "Irish Washwoman" dance on aged paper

    Handwritten instructions for the Irish Washwoman dance.

    Irish Washwoman

    The first couple, cross right hands with the second couple, and dance once round, change hands, and dance back to your places, then the first couple dances down in the middle, and up again, cut off the second couple, and right and left with them. Then dance 4 hands round with them and back again. (And so on with the next couple.) And when you are done this, you ought to be in the second couples’ place. And they in yours. Then dance with the next couple.

     

    The following YouTube video accurately demonstrates the dance as textually described above, with a few Celtic cultural embellishments.

     

     

    It is also possible that the descriptions give the bare basics of the dance, and that some details are being left out due to common threads among all dances of the time or perhaps a lack of a common vocabulary. Indeed, these notes seem to be for personal use rather than a comprehensive guide, especially upon seeing the term “chasse” spelled phonetically as “shaw-say.”

     

    The Lewis Family Papers consist of materials that document multiple generations of the family, spanning from 1696 to 1915. The bulk of the material is from 1791 to 1874. The papers are made freely and digitally accessible through the Library, Museums and Press. Members of the Delaware-based family were farmers and landowners who maintained business relations with many prominent citizens of early Newark. As a result, researchers interested in domestic and business issues of the time as well as local and national trends in education, politics and land dealings may find these resources especially useful.

    View from the Vault: Civil War Ghos..
    Wacom Drawing Tablets: Loanable Too..
    Library, Museums and Press
    181 S. College Avenue Newark, DE 19717-5267
    View our website in:
    • DELCAT Online Catalog
    • Research Guides
    • Support Us
    • Databases
    • Interlibrary Loan
    • About
    • Electronic Journals
    • Reserve a Space
    • Events and Workshops
    • Off-Campus Access
    • Hours
    • Contact
    Sign Up for the Latest News and Events
    I would like to receive...
    ©2025 University of Delaware
    Accessibility
    Comments
    Legal Notices