Old Bethpage Village Restoration Presents Traditional 19th-Century Dancing on May 18

In the 19th century, a popular form of entertainment involved listening to fiddle tunes and dancing to the calls of the local dance-master. On Sunday, May18, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., visitors to Old Bethpage Village Restoration (OVBR) will be able to enjoy a recreation of this slice of 19th-century American culture through a performance by the Old Bethpage Village Dancers, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi. The event will take place in the Noon Inn PicNic Grove.

The Old Bethpage Village Dancers is a group of dedicated volunteers who practice a variety of contradances, quadrilles and reels and perform on a regular basis at OBVR. On May 18, the performers, in mid-19th-century attire, will demonstrate such dances as the Jefferson and Liberty, the Lancer’s Quadrille, and the Virginia Reel. The group will be called by accomplished dance-master Chart Guthrie.

“This is a great opportunity for the public to enjoy a traditional form of 19th-century entertainment as interpreted by a very accomplished group of performers,” says OBVR Site Director and Curator Jim McKenna. “We also encourage members of the public to take part in the festivities by joining with the Old Bethpage Village Dancers and learning the gracious art of traditional American dance.”

Old Bethpage Village Restoration provides visitors with a unique and wonderful opportunity to step back in time and experience life in a recreated mid-19th-century American village set on more than 200 acres. Hours are as follows: Wed. - Sun., 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Entrance fees are $7 for children 5 - 12 (those under 5 are free), seniors and volunteer firefighters; and $10 for adults. It is located on Round Swamp Road in Old Bethpage; for more information, call 516-572-8400.