World War I had ended and the war weary world did not know what the future was to bring. In a somewhat gritty joint called the Audubon Ballroom in New York City, one woman was to dance her way to fame by wearing out 6 partners over a 27 hour period in 1923. By doing so, 32-year-old Alma Cummings won a world record. A record that was broken just a couple of days later by a French woman. It was soon reclaimed by Cummings and soon broken yet again. The challenge and the craze was on. Marathon dancing became all the rage.

   Did the marathon dance rage hit Dover, Delaware? This dance card says...possibly. The timing is perfect, for 1923 was when it all began again  (the reality is dance marathons have existed for centuries). Young people, and sometimes not so young, dancing their frustrations away, or taking a moment to just ..be. Was the Delaware Down Homers' Dover Dance a marathon or was it simply a Christmas dance to be enjoyed by all in Dover, Delaware?

    Of note is the last name "Frear," who promised a foxtrot in the second half of the dance. Perhaps it is J. Allen Frear (March 7, 1903 – January 15, 1993) Delaware politician and businessman who was to share this dance with our anonymous cardholder? As it stands, the dance card provides more questions than answers. Perhaps a Dover native can shed some light upon this dance card. 

     HK 23 June 2015 (to enlarge the picture simply right click and open in new tab. Draper is the name obscured by the glued string)