The Academy of Danse Libre opened tonight’s Stanford Historical Dance Week dance concert with five gorgeous choreographies of dances from the Victorian era. You guys were absolutely fabulous! Judging from the loud applause and cheers in Roble Studio, the audience agreed, too!

The Russian Mazurka Quadrille, as described by Charles Durang and reconstructed by Richard Powers.

Jeremy Sugerman adding pas allongee footworks to the Kolo (top left); Kimber Rudo, Jeremy Sugerman, Edoardo Maragliano, and Jacqueline Pham dancing the First Figure (top right); Rebecca Agin, Jacqueline Pham, Julie Tsai, and Kimber Rudo at the start of the Pursue (bottom left); Julie Tsai and Jason Anderson in running pas de basque in the Second Figure (bottom right).

A contrast of dances: the stately and graceful promenade and bows of “Polonaise” versus the energetic and playful fast waltzes of “Alle Tanzen”

Members of Danse Libre in Polonaise (splash photo and first row); John Beale and Kimber Rudo with a kiss in Polonaise, Jeremy Sugerman and Julie Tsai with heel-clicks in Alle Tanzen (second row); Jacqueline Pham and Matt Rollefson in pas de basque in Alle Tanzen, Jason Anderson and Kimber Rudo in a genuflexion in Alle Tanzen (third row); Polonaise is choreographed by Richard Powers; Alle Tanzen is choreographed by Lily Kao.

Dancers intermingle with figures of stars, circles, and baskets in Waltz Cotillion

Jeff Kellem, John Beale, Matt Rollefson, Valerie Baadh, Kimber Rudo, and Julie Tsai in a basket (top); Julie Tsai and Jeff Kellem in the star (left); Jeremy Sugerman and Laura Nowell in a bow (above); Waltz Cotillion is choreographed by Richard Powers. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to photograph the fifth dance, Coppelia Mazurka choreographed by Julie Tsai and Edoardo Maragliano.