Why form a College of Dance? The College was formed in reaction to the recent groundswell of interest and support that dancing has enjoyed here in in the West. We hope to build upon this momentum to help introduce dancing to all corners of the Kingdom, and to help educate those who are interested in the styles and techniques of period dancing. What do you mean by "period" dancing? The College focuses on Renaissance Europe, because that's the only time and place in which there are detailed dance manuals that survive to today. The earliest sources are manuscripts from 1450, and the latest is John Playford's English Dancing Master, printed in 1651. If you're interested in Middle Eastern dance, we can put you in touch with some people who do Middle Eastern dance. And if you know of any primary sources that we haven't heard about, we'd love to learn about them. Does the College have a Charter? Yes we do. It even got signed by the royals at some point. Who can join? Absolutely anyone can join the College. All you have to have is an interest in dancing, teaching, or dance music, and let us know you want in! But what if I don't dance? We'll teach you! :) Seriously, though, being able to dance is not a prerequisite for membership in the College. Having an interest in dancing, be it in practice or theory, is sufficient. Some of our members teach, others do research into the art or history of dancing, while still others play instruments. Some dance, some don't. What about musicians? Musicians are especially welcome to join the College! We will help you network with other musicians with an interest in dancing, and can easily help you find dancers willing to volunteer to dance for you! We can also help you learn the important difference between playing dance music, and playing music for dancers. My group wants to get dance practices started, can the College help me? You bet, that's one of the main reasons we're here! We are happy to provide help with such matters as hosting a dance event, starting a local dance practice, or any other related service as needed. We can provide instructors or help train a local instructor, provide step-by-step dance "how-tos", even provide music or help you find music or musicians on your own. The first step is to contact your closest College member, or the College Secretary, and we'll work with you from there. How do I join? See the information on the Joining the College page.