Eve of Waterloo Ball 2026

To celebrate the incredible 250th Anniversary of the Newark Town Hall, join us for an enchanting evening of music, dancing and Regency splendour in commemoration of the eve of the Battle of Waterloo.

 

Venue: The beautiful ballroom at Newark Town Hall, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1DU.  Dating back to 1776, the ballroom epitomises Georgian elegance and is renowned for being one of the finest ballrooms in the country. 2026 will therefore be marking its 250th birthday!

Date: Saturday 13th June 2026

Times: Arrival from 6:30pm for a 7pm start. Carriages at 11pm.

 

Attire: Regency/ Waterloo military.  

Musicians:  The wonderful Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer will be entertaining us throughout the evening with live music to Waterloo-themed dances.

Dance callers: Vicky Brown and Lynne Spicer

 

Victuals: A food buffet will be provided and there will be a bar available to purchase drinks (please do not bring your own). Water will be available throughout the evening.

Cost: £60 per ticket

 

'Fit for a Ball' will also have a stall for you to browse and purchase any last minute items you may need for the ball, including fans, watch fobs and reticules.

 

No previous regency dance experience is necessary because our wonderful callers will walk you through all of the dances.  We will also be releasing the dance list in advance, so you can practise them before you arrive.

 

Information about places to stay in Newark can be found here: https://visitnewark.co.uk/stay/

Dance list

We are pleased to announce the finalised dance list for the ball!

Most dances have a video, which shows the dance and has instructions in the information section. These can all be found on our Youtube, Facebook and Instagram channels. You can use these to have a go before the ball and familiarise yourself with some of the steps.

Each dance has been given a Speed and Difficulty rating (S:D) out of 3 to help you with which dances you are able to do - we hope after watching these videos you feel confident to give them all a go!

Dances in order:

  1. The Grand Waterloo March (Zehle, 1906) - (1:1) - the same march (to a different tune) can be found here.
  2. Duke of Kent's Waltz (Cahusac, 1801) - (1:1) - Youtube video here.
  3. The Lord Wellington (Button and Whitaker, c.1813) - (1:1) - Youtube video here.
  4. The Royal Salute (Straight, 1779) - (2:1) - Youtube video here.
  5. The Militia (Thompson, 1764) - (1:2) - Youtube video here.
  6. We Will Down With The French (Thompson, 1780) - (2:1) - Youtube video here.
  7. Go to the Devil and Shake Yourself (Kauntze, 1795) - (2:1) - Youtube video here.
  8. Dashing White Sergeant (Traditional) - (3:2) - Youtube video here.
  9. Prussian Waltz (Wilson, 1816) - (1:2) - Youtube video here (up to 1:08).
  10. Orange and Blue (Unknown, 1815) - (2:1) - Youtube video here.
  11. Highland Lilt (Neal and Neal, 1726) - (2:2) - Youtube video here.
  12. Lancers Quadrille Part 1: La Rose (Hart, 1819) - (1:3) - no video available
  13. The Waterloo Promenade Dance (music from Hardy, 1815) - (2:1) - Youtube video here.
  14. Boney in the Dumps (Cahusac, 1809) - (1:1) - Youtube video here.
  15. Wellington's Triumph (Wilson, 1819) - (2:2) - Youtube video here.
  16. Finale dance (we are not saying what this is in advance)!

If you have any questions about the dances, please do get in touch and we are more than happy to help.

How to purchase a ticket

 

To  purchase a ticket, please email bonnets.breeches@gmail.com, indicating the number of tickets you would like to purchase and the names of the people the tickets are for.

If tickets are still available, you will receive an email response asking for payment to be made via bacs.  Once payment has been received, you will receive a souvenir ticket/s (there is no need to print the ticket/s because we will have a list of attendees on the night). 

How to get to Newark

Newark is well located next to the A1, M1, A46, and A17. Newark has a range of car parking options, such as the NCP St Marks Place, Appleton Gate Car Park and London Road Car Park. Car park charges may apply.

 

Newark has excellent rail links with two train stations serving the town, both just a short walk to the town centre. Newark Northgate station is on the LNER East Coast mainline from London to Edinburgh. Newark Castle station is on East Midlands Railway’s Nottingham – Lincoln line.

Terms and conditions:

 

By purchasing a ticket, you agree to our terms and conditions which can be found below. 

 

Photography and Videography

  1. Photographs and videos made at the Ball are for personal use only and may not be used for commercial purposes without express written consent.
  2. Attendees are responsible for ensuring their photographs, videos and social media posts do not infringe on copyright or other intellectual property rights.
  3. Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society reserves the right to request the removal of any content deemed inappropriate.
  4. By attending the Ball, attendees acknowledge and agree that photographs and videos may be taken by Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society for promotional purposes, including but not limited to use on its website, social media platforms and marketing materials.
  5. Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society have hired a professional photographer for the night, who will be taking individual portrait photos and photos of the event. These will be shared via our website and Facebook page once they have been sent to us.

 

Health and Safety

  1. Attendees are responsible for ensuring their health and fitness levels are adequate for participation at the Ball.  Please do not attend if you have been ill or show any signs or symptoms of illness within 24 hours of the Ball taking place.
  2. Attendees must report any injuries or safety concerns to a member of the Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society Committee immediately.
  3. Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society reserves the right to refuse entry to any individual who appears to be intoxicated or whose behaviour poses a risk to themselves or others.
  4. Suitable flat shoes are recommended for dancing. Please do not wear any tall, thin heels, such as stilettos, as these are not safe to dance in.

 

Code of Conduct

  1. Attendees are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and considerate manner at all times.
  2. Harassment, discrimination, and disruptive behaviour are strictly prohibited.
  3. Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society reserves the right to remove any attendee who violates the code of conduct.

 

Personal Belongings

  1. Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society is not responsible for any loss or damage to attendees' personal belongings.

 

Refunds

  1. Up to one calendar month prior to the event (midnight on Wednesday 13thMay 2026) – full refund on request.
  2. Up to two weeks prior to the event (midnight on Saturday 27thMay 2026) – full refund if we are able to resell your ticket.  No refund if the ticket cannot be resold.
  3. After midnight on Saturday 27thMay 2026 – no refund.

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