The Colonial Dancing Master

07/30/2026

It was my pleasure to present my program "George Washington's Favorites" at the Eastford Library in Eastford, CT, yesterday, July 29th. The multi-generational audience responded with questions and comments as they learned to "read" the special symbol that defined the written language and was still in use during the Revolutionary War. They heard dance tunes I recorded to accompany the dances in books my late husband Chip created and published from primary sources. Thank you to Librarian, Katie Ball and Assistant Librarian, Jennifer John for inviting me to share this experience.

11/18/2025

11/17/2025

It was an honor to lead dances at the Colonial Ball for Sheldon’s Horse at the Greater Danbury Irish Community Center. Planning your 250th anniversary event in 2026? Please DM me.

10/02/2024

I loved playing 18th century social dance music for the dances led by Dancing Master Patricia Campbell with our band The Reel Thing. What I love as well is the research of the music in the vast number of facsimile of primary source that have surfaced since the Bi-Centennial. A favorite part is playing the tunes - the jigs, reels, marches, and the various time signatures. They are driving, lyrical, dreamy, energetic. I'm so grateful to my late husband and best friend Charles "Chip" Hendrickson for getting me into all this so many years ago.

06/30/2020

I miss giving talks to students about Colonial life. Living without electronics seems inconceivable to them but when I show them how to live in George Washington's time, then it's not so unrealistic.

06/25/2020

Patiently waiting until the "all clear" so we can get back to presenting living history events, dancing, making music and teaching about our past in the Revolutionary War years. Be safe everyone and honor the health regulations.

04/01/2020

Who would have ever thought there would come a time when we couldn't dance or make music??? Always took this for granted. A cause for the stall could not be envisioned. Found this photo of early Chip and I on the way to a Ball somewhere. For now we just hold on to the memories until we can all be close again.

09/30/2019

Just found this photo of me and Patricia Campbell in my booth at Stratford Historical Society event in 2014. In my tent, I was selling the books and CD's created by me and my late husband Charles Cyril Hendrickson as The Hendrickson Group. I love sharing knowledge with people about our history in dance and music!!

09/06/2019

I'm happy to be teaching dancing at this wonderful event at the Bedford, NY, Historical Society on Saturday, September 7, from 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Come by and join in the adventure!