A Jane Austen Evening

Last night was the Oxford Scottish Dancing Society's end-of-term dance.

To picture what it was like, just think of the Assembly Ball in the six-volume Pride and Prejudice film, but imagine the ladies in knee-length skirts and several of the men in kilts. We danced in long lines in a large dark-panelled hall hung with portraits and Scottish flags. Lots of people came, easily enough for four full sets, and we danced to live piano music. The dancing itself was done to a good standard -- it was such a pleasure to stand at the top of the set watching the other couples turn right hands or dance back-to-back and seeing all the shoulders pass one another at exactly the same moment.

I danced all 19 dances and had a brilliant time, but the soles of my feet were shouting at me by the evening's end. One of the best dances on the programme was "Radcliffe Square," composed especially for the Oxford Society, but my favourite remained "Postie's Jig." We ended with "Auld Lang Syne" -- sung, it would seem the world over, in a big circle with arms crossed and everybody advancing into the middle during the second verse.

I felt like I'd been transported back in time to Meriton. But just in case any of you were wondering -- Mr. Darcy was not in attendance. :-)