Footwork & Frolick is excited to host international dance history scholar Susan de Guardiola in Groton for an afternoon of discussion about unsung voices from the past.

Lectures (called “lyceums”) were a common social pastime in 19th century New England, attracting audiences across class and community divides. Lyceums were a way for adults to engage with learning and new perspectives; many lyceums brought in speakers who could share experiences from far-off destinations, exposing local audiences to a wide range of perspectives. These activities were a key element in the dissemination of social movements such as abolition, women’s rights, and economic reform. (Learn more about the lyceum movement at the New England Historical Society!)

In honor of this tradition, F&F will welcome Susan to our “home” dance space, the Groton Grange Hall, where she will deliver a short lecture sharing some of her research. The lecture will be followed by an afternoon tea during which attendees can sample a variety of sweets and scones and chat with other members of the community.

About Susan de Guardiola:

Susan de Guardiola received her Bachelor of Arts from Yale University and a Master's in Education from the University of New Haven. She is an independent scholar in social dance history as well as a teacher of historical dance technique. Susan has taught dance at workshops and historical events across the U.S., Europe, Russia, and Ukraine.  She has presented her scholarly work at conferences including the Oxford University Dance
Symposium, the European Association for Dance History, the Dolmetsch Historical Dance Society, and the British Society for Eighteenth Century Studies, and has conducted research at Harvard University's Houghton Library as a New England Regional Fellow. She is primarily a nineteenth century specialist, and her current research focuses on the transatlantic transmission of dance and dance music from the late 18th through late 19th centuries.

You can read some of Susan’s work and see her upcoming teaching schedule on her website Capering & Kickery.