The Footwork & Frolick Society is a 501(c)(3) public charity located in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our mission is to promote historical education through the research, recreation, performance, and instruction of eighteenth and nineteenth century dance and other active pursuits rooted in the social traditions of the American Northeast. 

We believe that everyone benefits from learning about the past in a hands-on format, and we are proud to contribute to the rich historical landscape in the area by running historical social events and sharing our research! Everyone should be welcome in modern historical spaces regardless of race, religion, gender identity or presentation. Our work is intended to make learning about dancing and movement in the past engaging and fun - not to mythologize the “old days”. F&F classes and events are open to all, and we do not tolerate bigotry in our spaces.

two members of footwork and frolick hang decorations in a town hall ballroom in jeans and t-shirts before a ball

F&F is an entirely volunteer-run enterprise. When you step into the past through a game, a sport, or a dance, history and literature really come alive. It’s a magical moment, and we love creating those moments for everyone!

We find that trying out historical activities with some context (e.g. wearing the clothes, eating the food) helps us better understand social life from centuries ago. But we want our spaces to be accessible, so costumes are never required.

a large green lawn with people playing croquet, a pink historic building in the distance behind them

We are always excited to bring history alive, including through partnerships with other historical and educational organizations. If you’re interested in collaborating, we’d love to hear from you.

Our non-profit status means that any money we make from ticket sales or donations goes straight back into funding future programming.

Our largest and most frequent expense is building rentals; other costs include food served at events, wages for any musicians, decorations, and cleaning supplies. We also leverage donations and ticket sales to fund scholarships. If you’d like to make a one-time, tax deductible donation you can do so through PayPal. In the future, we are planning to offer other ways to support the organization, such as a monthly membership (which gives access to exclusive content). Learn more about future opportunities to support us and attend events by signing up for our newsletter!

the footwork and frolick logo: an 1830s illustration of 4 dances setting to each other above the title of the organization

Interested in working with us? We want to hear from you!

Partnerships help our organization reach more people and bring historical activities to life.

Research & Educational Outreach

A researcher in a plaid dress and glasses holds notecards and gestures, presenting
a ground in Footwork and Frolick t-shirts smile at the camera with a sign reading The Mountain School visible above their heads
a group of people play a victorian parlor game in a historic room, some people are in costume and teaching the game while others are in modern clothes attending an event

  • F&F members undertake historical research on the sociocultural context of the activities we recreate leveraging the rich archival resources available in local collections. When possible we share this work with the wider community through presentations, workshops, and publications.

  • With varied experience teaching students of all ages, F&F is proud to share our passion for history with classrooms across New England through activities connected to wider curriculum.

  • Our unique area of work is a natural fit for other historical non-profits looking to bring their spaces to life. Partnerships with museums and historical societies are a core component of our annual programming.