In a message dated 30-04-02 2:12:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< What kind of dance was the quadrille? Or is it slang and not really a
 >dance? (See below)
 > >>
Quadrille - 1850's

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Hello Cindy: I found the following online from California Heritage Dance:

Early in the 19th century people began their dances much earlier. On
holidays, they began at two in the afternoon and danced until daybreak. No
one seemed bothered by the prospect of another hard day at the plow or churn.

As immigrants and travelers arrived on our shores they brought with them
goods, new from "home" and the popular dances of the day. Foremost of these
was the French Quadrille. It began in the French Court ballet, caught on like
wildfire, jumped the channel, and after becoming well-established in the
British Isles, found its way to America in the mid-19th century. It has been
in gradual evolution ever since. For the first time a "prompter" was used.
Not a caller yet, but someone other than a dancer to indicate what was coming
next. As the name Quadrille implies, it is a drill done in a quadrangle
formation. This has not changed, but it is surprising how many of the
original movements have also remained unchanged.

Quadrilles were originally divided into five sections with four brief breaks
to catch breath and flirt a bit. That was then reduced to three sections. The
least experienced couples would take the side positions and have an
opportunity to watch the first as the prompter called a series of "changes"
for the head couples. The sides, then did a carbon copy of that.

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Karlyn K. Elia
Ulster County Historian