PRAGUE VINTAGE DANCE WEEK
July 19 - 25, 2026
Dear friends,
In July 2026, it will be 30 years since our very first Paris – Prague Vintage Dance Week. Some of the key people who organized that event are no longer with us, including Michelle Nadal from Paris and Jasan Bonuš from Prague. We will honor their memory during the dance week. We will still dancing with Richard Powers and Yvonne Vart, who worked hard to make this dream a reality. Of course, there were many other people who helped with organizing, and we thank them all for their hard work, which allows us to continue their legacy, meet, and dance together.
Join us to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this wonderful cooperation between Paris and Prague. Spend a week with us for a week of historic dance and time-travel back to the exquisite ballrooms of another era. Our teaching roster includes Dancing Master Richard Powers (USA) and Arnaud Degioanni, the President of Carnet de Bals (France), with additional classes by Dancing Master Susanna Serafini from Rome, and ourselves, Jitka Bonušová and Jan Pumpr from Prague.
The program includes dance classes, sightseeing in Prague, evening cultural events, and four evening dance events. These include a ball with a Baroque orchestra, a Swing ball with a live swing band, a Mystery ball with recorded music, and a final closing ball with a 19th-century orchestra. For a more detailed program, please check the website below.
Dance classes will be on a wooden floor and the hotel and the dance hall are on the same street, just a one-minute walk from each other!
We hope that the program for the 2026 course will meet with your full approval and entice you to join us in July 2026. We very much look forward to meeting you.
Yours,
Jitka Bonušová and Jan Pumpr
Please be aware of our registration policy.
The Double Vintage Dance Week Paris – Prague is a combined event organized by two different organizations. As a result, we are prioritizing attendees who can join us for both weeks. From September 18th to January 1st, you may only register for both dance weeks. You are welcome to register for Prague Dance Week only, but we will let you know after January 1st if your registration is accepted. Registrations will be processed in the order they are received, according to their time stamp.
We recommend registering early, as space is limited.Thank you for your understanding.
Program draft
Saturday, July 18 - optional
The Parisian Vintage Dance Week concludes with the Friday evening ball. Saturday is a free day for you to rest and relax. You can choose to stay an extra night in Paris and travel to Prague on Sunday, or you can arrive in Prague on Saturday and enjoy an extra night there. If you decide to arrive in Prague early, you are welcome to arrange your own accommodation. Alternatively, feel free to contact us via email, and we would be happy to help you book an extra night at the same hotel you’ll be staying at during the dance week. Prices for extra night in Prague: Double room $155/€135 (two people), $125/€110 (one person) including all taxes and breakfast.
Sunday, July 19
You will have made it to the hotel from the airport or train station on your own; in either case it is very simple either by cab or public transportation. A month before arrival you will receive detailed information about the airport – hotel transfer. After you arrive at the hotel, you will check in and perhaps have time to relax a bit. In the late afternoon we will meet in the hotel lounge for the registration, greet old friends, meet new people, and hand out additional information you need for the dance week, including a booklet with details for each day’s activities and a map of the city. After this, we will walk to a nearby restaurant for our first dinner together.
Monday, July 20
On our first full day. In the morning we will start with three dance classes. The hotel and the dance hall are on the same street, just a one-minute walk from each other. Lunchtime will be on your own. The dance hall is located in the city center, so you’ll find plenty of places to eat, including international cuisine. One more dance class in the afternoon and then you can join us for sightseeing in Old Town. We’ll all meet up again in the evening for dinner. Then, we’ll have a special ceremony to look back at the very first Prague Vintage Dance Week. We’ll show a short video and raise a glass to the event’s founders.
Tuesday, July 21
This morning, we’ll have three dance classes. Lunch will be on your own, giving you time to explore the city. After our afternoon class, you’ll have some free time to relax and get ready for our first evening dance. We’ll begin the evening with a dinner cruise. Seeing Prague’s historic center from the river is a lovely and pleasant experience, especially since you can eat as much as you want! After the cruise, it’s just a short bus ride to Troja Chateau. Have you ever danced in a horse stable? Probably not! We’ll give you a unique chance to admire the beautiful Baroque frescoes and marble floor of what used to be a stable. We’ll have live musicians and will learn and dance English Baroque Contradances. Take a look at the picture to see how beautifully the horses were treated in this space. Transportation will be provided by Dvorana.
Wednesday, July 22
It is Wednesday already! We will have three dance classes in the morning, lunch on your own and one afternoon class as well. Some time to relax and get ready for our Jazz and Swing ball, , led by Richard Powers. The ball will be in a beautiful dance hall with a wooden floor and – live music! Transportation to the ball and back will be provided by Dvorana. Want a taste of the band’s music? Play the audio sample. Here is a video of the amazing vintage dance band.
Thursday, July 23
Today, we’ll have three dance classes in the morning, followed by lunch on your own and an afternoon class. This evening, we’ll dance in another unique venue: a medieval church in Prague’s Old Town. Don’t worry, the church has been deconsecrated, so we are free to use it for our dance party. This special evening will be led by Arnaud Dogiovani. We asked Arnaud to host this mysterious event, and the theme is The Troubadour Ball. While this might sound medieval, it can also be interpreted as the French Second Empire era. Dvorana will provide transportation to and from the ball.
Friday, July 24
Our final day is here! Welcome to our last day! We have three morning dance classes, with lunch on your own. The afternoon is free, giving you plenty of time to get ready for the grand closing ball. First, we’ll enjoy a lovely group dinner at a restaurant near the hotel, followed by a quick 10-minute bus ride. This year, we’re excited to dance in a stunning Art Nouveau hall—a brand new location for us! A live orchestra will be performing, just as in previous years. The recommended attire is 1865-1880 period dress. Dvorana will provide transportation to and from the ball.
Saturday, July 25
How the time has flown, and it is now time to say goodbye, and return to our regular lives. But we hope you will take back many memories to share and treasure from your time in the Czech Republic. We also hope you will stay in touch, and that, perhaps, we will dance together again.
Two months before the dance week, we will publish a detailed schedule of the dance classes here.
Teachers
Richard Powers
Richard Powers is a dance historian and instructor at Stanford University. Richard’s focus since 1975 has been the research and reconstruction of nineteenth and early twentieth century American and European social dance forms, working from a personal collection of 2,500 historic dance manuals. Founder of the Flying Cloud Academy of Dance in Cincinnati, and director of the first Vintage Dance Weeks, Richard has also choreographed dozens of stage productions, operas and films. Richard has taught historic dance workshops in Paris, Rome, Prague, London, Vienna, Venice, Geneva, Edinburgh, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kirov, Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as across the United States and Canada.
Classes in English.
Arnaud Degioanni
Arnaud is vice president of the French Federation of Dance, the historical dance coordinator in France and president of the parisian historical dance association „Carnet de Bals“. Arnaud Degioanni is an expert of historical dance in France. He is an avid researcher and reconstructor of 19th century dances, his work having led him to study the typical Parisian dance repertory from the past centuries. Arnaud is the creator of the French Historical Dance Championship and of the International Open of Historical Dance in Paris. He is also an organizer and dance master of renowned Balls, reconstructed according to the great tradition of Imperial balls in France.
Classes in French and English.
Susanna Serafini
Susanna graduated in classical dance from the National Academy of Dance (AND) in Rome and also holds a degree in French and Historical dance from La Sapienza University in Rome. She has participated in numerous international „Gran Ballo“ events across Europe and has taught Historical dance at the AND, as well as ballet and French at a high school. Susanna translated T. Wilson’s 1816 book, The Correct Method of Waltzing, into Italian. For over 40 years, she has served as the director and dance master at the Istituto Superiore Danza, where she teaches ballet and historical dance. Her work includes celebrated events such as her choreography for the „Gran ballo del Gattopardo“ at Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia, where Luchino Visconti’s film was shot. In October 2025, she will stage „J. Strauss Day“ to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth.
Classes in French and English.
Jitka Bonušová a Jan Pumpr
The dance school Dvorana was founded in the early nineties by Professor František Bonuš and his son, Jasan Bonuš, and in 1996 they organized their first Vintage Dance Week Prague/Paris. After František and Jasan passed away, Jitka and Jan continued running the organization and have organized many international dance workshops and weeks.
They both focus on Czech social dances of the 19th century and have choreographed several dances for workshops and for the stage; both also lead separate performing groups. They have taught dances at Dvorana´s workshops in the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Japan and the United States.
Classes in English.
Directions
The Prague dance week is located in the heart of the city center. This year, we will be using a new 4-star hotel. The hotel and the dance hall are on the same street, just a one-minute walk from each other. We want to save your energy for dancing!
Approximately one month before the start of the dance week, all participants will receive a letter with detailed instructions on how to get to the hotel from the airport or train station. This will also include a mobile phone number to call in case of any unexpected incidents during your journey to Prague.
Accommodation
HOTEL New Town****
Žitná 525/28, 120 00 Praha 2
Opened in June 2019, the completely renovated four-star hotel historic building is located 450 meters from Wenceslas Square. In the hotel, you will find everything to make you feel comfortable. All rooms are air-conditioned, equipped with free WiFi, TV, SAT, telephone, hairdryer, refrigerator and bathroom, coffee and tea set and blackout curtains.
If you’re interested in extending your stay in Prague, let us know and we will help you manage the hotel arrangements.
Prices for an extra night: $155 / €135 for a double room (two persons); $125 / €110 for a single room (one person).
The price includes breakfast and all taxes.
Meals
Breakfast will be served at the hotel as a buffet with a variety of options. The dance week price also includes an evening meal with the group, arranged by Dvorana. While beverages are not included, drinking water will be available for free.
Vegetarian meals can be arranged upon request (please indicate this on the registration form). If you have any other dietary restrictions, please let us know, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Dress (clothing and shoes)
The dance hall is in the same building as in 2024, but this time we’ll be using the large hall. There will be plenty of room for everyone to dance. ATTENTION: No street shoes are allowed on the dance floors. Everyone is required to change shoes prior to entering the dance hall. The dance hall has wooden floor, and we must be careful to protect it from damage. No special clothing is required for the dance classes. We recommend that you wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict movement.
During the dance week, we will have four evening dance events. The first one will focus on the Baroque era, and you will not need a costume for this. The second evening will be a swing ball (around 1920-1940). We would appreciate seeing you all in period costumes from that era.
Then we will have one very special event, the Troubadour Ball. It might sound medieval, but it can also be interpreted as the French Second Empire era. We would love to have you in costume for this evening as well, but we will not be strict and encourage you to use your imagination with your outfit. We also understand that it’s not easy to pack so many costumes, so please feel free to find something simple and fun. Finally, we will have the closing 19th-century ball. For this event, a costume is required. The recommended attire is period dress from 1865-1880.
Please bring your costumes to help us create a unique atmosphere for each evening. Thank you.
For these of you who don’t own costumes, we will help arrange a costume rental for you. The Barrandov Film Studio Costume Department is one of the largest in Europe, and offers many beautiful costumes. Click here for their website.
The price is based on the number of days you need the costume. You can rent it just for the final ball on Friday evening, or for more days. We recommend checking the program to decide. As a pricing estimate, a costume could cost between $170 and $200. For more details about costume rentals, click here.
Prices - all inclusive
Price for one person in double room: $2090 / €1770
Price for one person in single room: $2450 / €2070
Register by December 1st, 2025, to get a $100 (€85) discount per person. This is our special early bird price!
The price includes:
- Accommodations in 4 star hotel
- Buffet breakfasts and one warm meal each day
- All dance classes
- An English-speaking guide during the entire dance week
- Evening cultural programs
- Guided tour of Prague
- Transportation to all evening events
- Three evenings with live music (orchestras)
The price does not include:
- Transportation to and from the Czech Republic
- Individual transfer from and to the airport
- Beverages at meals
(fresh water is available at all meals at no charge)
Registration and payment
Until January 1st, we are only accepting registrations for both dance weeks.
Please register no later than May 30, 2026. Inquiries after that date should be made by e-mail at dvorana@dvorana.cz to see if accommodation space is still available.
A deposit of $1000 / €1000 per person, is requested upon registration. If you must cancel, the policy is that prior to May 30, your entire deposit will be refunded, less a $100/€100 processing charge. After May 30, deposits will not be refunded. The balance is payable before your arrival in Prague. An invoice will be provided for each payment. Confirmation and further details will be sent upon registration.
EU citizens should not have any issues and can send the payment to our EUR account. We recommend searching for SEPA payment, which lets you send EUR inside of the EU for free or for a very low cost.
- EUR Wire Transfer to the Dvorana’s bank:
Bank Account Holder: Jitka Bonušová
Bank Account Number: 131-2273710277/0100
Bank Name: Komerční banka a.s., Praha 9 Branch, Bryksova 759/60, 198 00 Praha-Černý Most
SWIFT Code: KOMBCZPP
IBAN: CZ6701000001312273710277
For US citizens, sending a payment to the EU is typically expensive. For this reason, we have decided to use the Wise service, which will allow you to make the payment as a domestic transfer (usually free of charge). Unfortunately, our connection between the Dvorana and Wise accounts is not yet complete. We kindly ask that you wait to send the payment for a few days, perhaps a week. We will publish all the necessary information here as soon as it’s ready. Please don’t worry—we will save your place even if your deposit is sent later. Thank you for your understanding.
If you are not a citizen of the EU or the US, please register and let us know by email. We will then discuss the best way to send your deposit.
Please note that you need to register for each dance week separately.
The registration form for the Prague dance week is below. To register for the Paris dance week, please click HERE.
Unfortunately, the registration for Paris has been delayed. It will likely be available sometime next week. Don’t worry, the Paris organizers can see who has already registered for the Prague event and will hold a spot for you. Please check their website again in a couple of days.
contact:
Dvorana
Generála Janouška 36
198 00 Praha 9
Phone: +420 – 608 889 304
E-mail: dvorana@dvorana.cz