Workshops

“If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient.”

Important things to know about workshops:

English Country Dance

$25 per session

If your dancing shoes are brand new or just a bit dusty, have no fear. Join us on a shame-free dance floor for a 90-minute AGM English Country Dance workshop that will prepare you for the dancing at this year’s Ball. Historical dancing master Tom Tumbusch, and his wife, Toni, offer such clear and encouraging dance-step-by-dance-step guidance, English Country dancing will seem as simple as a graceful stroll across the Netherfield drawing-room under Mr. Darcy’s appreciative gaze.

Workshop leaders Tom and Toni Tumbusch have taught together since 2005, hosting English Country and other historical dance workshops throughout the United States and Canada.



Calligraphy

$35 per session
Paul Mellon/Yale Center for British Art

Unleash the power of the pen, elevate your writing to an art form, and earn the praise of Miss Bingley by participating in our introductory calligraphy workshop. Whether you're a total beginner or looking to expand your skills, this workshop will awaken your creative spirit and ignite your passion for the written word. Participants will leave with a calligraphy pen to take home and practice sheets, and will make a souvenir bookmark.

Instructor Wendy Satsky, a retired public educator, paints inspirations from nature often combined with calligraphy that she calls “calligraphics.”



Watercolor Painting

$35 per session
Colorado Aspens Watercolor by Dennis Pendleton

Dive into a world of color and creativity with our introduction to watercolors workshop. With expert guidance, you'll learn the basics of watercolor painting, from brush techniques to color mixing, and create a stunning painting of aspen trees in autumn colors symbolic of Colorado as a special memento of the AGM. Whether you're a seasoned artist or a curious beginner, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to unleash your inner painter and discover the magic of watercolors.

Instructor Dennis Pendleton is a local and national award-winning artist and an instructor at the Art Students League of Denver, where he has taught watercolor classes for over 30 years.

Embroidery

$30 per session

Join us for a delightful, beginner-friendly journey into the world of embroidery, where we will unravel the secrets of this timeless craft. Under expert guidance, you will learn to wield your needle like a true artist, beginning a design that evokes the romance and elegance of Austen's world.

Each stitcher will receive "Embroider the World of Jane Austen," an Austen-themed kit that includes:

Participants may wish to bring their own scissors.

Workshop leader Kathryn Chapinka Dalby is the author of two embroidery books, an avid crafter, and a novice gardener.

Designing Lydia’s Bonnet: A Regency Millinery Album

$20 per session

Put your creativity to the test at our paper bonnet decorating workshop. You will receive a printed image of a plain straw bonnet and access to an assortment of flowers, feathers, ribbons, and other fripperies to decorate it in collage style. You will mount your bonnet design on the cover of a 4-page album in which you can paste copies of fashion plates showing a variety of bonnets to use for inspiration, newspaper advertisements, and some images of period millinery shops, creating a one-of-a-kind souvenir of the AGM. Along the way, you will also learn a bit about the trade of the milliner from Regency fashion expert Ann Wass. Come join us for some creativity, fun, and an opportunity to socialize with other workshop participants!

Instructor Ann Wass has been studying Regency/Federal era costume for over two decades and has spoken at AGMs and Regional meetings on Regency textiles, fashion, and shopping.

Jane Austen Fan Fiction Novel Planning Workshop

$30 per session
Paul Mellon/Yale Center for British Art

Have you ever thought about writing your own Jane Austen fan fiction short story or novel? Do you want to write the next chapter for your favorite characters? Maybe you have an alternate ending in mind, or a murder mystery starring an Austen heroine as an amateur sleuth. You’ve got the idea, you know which characters will be in it, but maybe you could use a little help with getting off the starting block. In this workshop, Certified Book Coach Robin Henry will guide you in completing the Novel Planning Kickstarter to create your very own “Plan of a Novel.”

Instructor Robin Henry has over 20 years of experience working with books and authors as a reviewer, book award committee member, writing teacher, and coach.