Jane Austen Dance

Apr 26, 2024, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Part of the Australian Heritage Festival 2024

Dance has a unique power to connect history, culture, our ancestors, and modern life. It is a special experience to witness the dances of our forebears, which used to be an essential part of their social life and were present in every celebration. Dance not only captures the stories of our past in a unique form, but it also helps us to connect to these stories in the present. It provides us with a distinctive insight into why our cultural heritage was important in the past and why it is still significant today.

Jane Austen, who loved dancing, wrote her novels at the same time colonial Australia was being settled. She included many dance scenes in her books, highlighting the significance of dance in social life. In the colony, the same dances known to her were enjoyed in grand residences, taverns, and private homes. It's possible that D'Arcy Wentworth, a leader in colonial society, was the inspiration for Mr Darcy in Pride & Prejudice. You can learn more about this on the night! Even in the Penal Settlement at Moreton Bay (which celebrates its 200th anniversary this year), the educated convict John Bushel was allowed to teach dancing to the officers and their families.

Join us for an exceptional evening to connect with our intangible cultural heritage.

This event is sponsored by Moreton Bay Council's Healthy & Active.