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European History: 1600s-1800s

Victorian Dances

Victorian Dances
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 5 to 8
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   6.71

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    ballroom, socialize, repeated, refreshment, hostess, atmosphere, behavior, life, unknown, informal, introduction, arrange, lines, member, advance, whenever

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Victorian Dances
By Sharon Fabian 		  
1     Life in Victorian times was much different from the way it is today. Without all of the activities available today, it might, at first, seem like a boring time. Young people who lived in Victorian times, however, probably didn't think it was boring at all. There were many opportunities for boys and girls to meet and socialize. One of the favorite was dances.
 
2     Dances today are often informal. Many dances are held at school, and everyone arrives in fashionable but casual clothes. Dances in Victorian times were much more formal. At a Victorian dance, the formal atmosphere was part of the fun.
 
3     Many Victorian dances were held at home. The hostess would begin to make preparations several weeks in advance. She would send out written invitations about two weeks before the dance. Soon she would receive her replies. Then she would know how many guests to plan for, and there was much planning to do for a big dance. She needed to arrange for food, beverages, extra people to help, and, of course, musicians.
 
4     Whoever accepted the invitations had plans to make, too. And invitations were accepted whenever possible! Girls chose their ball gowns, shoes, and gloves. Their gowns might be made of silk, satin, or velvet, maybe with little sleeves and lacy decorations. They tried out hairstyles with ribbons or feathers or combs. Boys got their black tailcoats ready along with their white shirts, vests, and gloves.

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