Historical ball transforms Thurnau Castle back into an 18th-century setting

UBTaktuell: What is the Thurnauer Tanzboden? 

Dr Silvia Bier: The Thurnauer Tanzboden is a public historical ball in the style of the 18th century, held at Thurnau Castle. The idea is to recreate a ball as it might have taken place at the court of the Counts Giech of Thurnau. So you could say it is a living history event, centred entirely on historical dancing and courtly festive culture at a small Franconian court. 

How did you come to turn this into an event? 

Bier: The event forms part of my ongoing research project ‘Public Music History’, in which I am investigating how we engage with history through artistic practices such as music and dance. I’m examining this using a total of three examples, each of which involves a public event: starting with the ball, followed by a concert and an exhibition. In each case, a historical artefact serves as the starting point; for the Thurnau Dance Floor, it is a dance book featuring 18th-century ballroom dances that we found a few years ago in the old castle library. You can watch these dances being performed at the Thurnau Dance Floor and even join in yourself.

Who is involved in the preparations? 

Bier: Primarily our students on the BA in Music Theatre Studies and the MA in Music and Performance. We worked out the concept and the programme together; the students are also the ‘performers’ who will be dancing and making music. We visited the State Archives in Bamberg with some of the students and researched what has been handed down about life and celebrations at the court in Thurnau – and it has to be said, they certainly knew how to party in Thurnau! 

Is this the first event of its kind? 

Bier: There was already a ‘Thurnauer Tanzboden’ back in 2022, when – as a purely artistic project – we simply wanted to try out the dances and present the dance book to the public. The realisation at the time of just how much such a format also serves as a very special way of engaging with local history gave rise to the idea for the research project and, consequently, to a second ‘Thurnauer Tanzboden’.

What’s different this year? 

Bier: This time, the ball was preceded by extensive historical research, enabling us to draw specifically on details of court festivities in Thurnau as recorded in historical sources. But the ball itself is also being documented more meticulously and systematically. Apart from that, it is of course a different group of students this time who are shaping the ball with their ideas. For example, the fictional setting for the ball this time is the year 1776, as we can now date the dance book to around the 1770s.

 How do you get tickets? 

Bier: It will be possible to reserve tickets by email about two weeks beforehand. The exact date when bookings open will be published on the website and on our Instagram channel. Last time, the tickets were all booked up within a few days, as there are a limited number available.

Do you have to wear a historical costume yourself if you want to take part? 

Bier: There is a dress code: ideally a suitable historical costume, or alternatively traditional regional dress, but at the very least formal evening wear. Experience shows that you can also learn the dances on the spot on the evening of the ball and join in. For those who want to play it safe and prepare in advance, our students are offering a dance lesson in the days leading up to the ball. Information on this will also be available on the website and Instagram channel throughout October.

https://www.prof-musikwissenschaft.uni-bayreuth.de/de/forschung/Public-Music-History/index.html