About us

The Covent Garden Minuet Company has performed across the UK and internationally for over 40 years. From lavish balls to milestone birthdays, corporate bashes to TV and film appearances, hen dos to historical reenactments, we bring 18th century entertainment to life in both baroque and regency costumes.

Where have we performed?

We’ve danced in hundreds of places over the years, from castles, palaces, abbeys and stately homes, to slightly less glamorous venues like school gymnasia and even a tennis court! Here are a few of our most recent and most prestigious performances. If you would like to find out more about any of these to inspire your next event, get in touch.

  • Private weekend of festivities and performances at Birkenhill Castle
  • Into the Pages Regency Masquerade Ball at Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells
  • Mystic Fate Ball in Edinburgh
  • Georgian Coronation Ball at All Saints Church, Notting Hill. We re-enacted the coronation of George III and then danced for and taught dances to the audience.
  • London: Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace, The Wallace Collection, British Museum, Mansion House, Banqueting House, Hampton Court Palace, Osterley Park
  • International:Warsaw Castle, Tryon Palace and the Göttingen International Handel Festival overseas
  • TV: Filming for BBC4 ('Rococo' with Waldemar Januszczak and 'Dancing Cheek to Cheek' with Len & Lucy), Channel 4 and the History Channel

How it started

We owe our existence to Simon Caradoc Evans, a successful businessman with a fondness for early music who became enthralled by baroque dancing. According to legend, he had the idea of establishing a minuet company while cooking his breakfast, at the very moment an egg slipped out of his hand and fell with a splat to the floor...

An advert duly appeared in the national newspapers calling for people with a love of dance, noting reassuringly that "the minuet steps are not difficult". The very first class was held in February 1982 and many happy years of minuetting have ensued, with performances all over the UK as well as tours overseas. When Simon passed away the company was reorganised along more democratic lines, and continues to provide magical 18th century moments and absurd anecdotes.

Teachers and Organisers

We'd be nothing without our dedicated teachers and organisers who keep us on our toes. They decipher cryptic diagrams when we're trying to bring original dances to life, choreograph new ones to the music of the era, and organise our events.