quadrille

A quadrille is a type of dance for four couples, with each couple forming a single side of a square. It developed from the cotillon, an earlier form of square dance, and became popular in the French court of the early 19th century. It was then introduced to London society.

The quadrille was frequently danced to a medley of opera melodies. The lancers, a variation of the quadrille, became popular in the late 1800s and was still danced in the mid-20th century in folk-dance clubs.

The Quadrille Bands of the nineteenth century were established musical groups that provided the accompaniment for ballroom dancing and theatrical productions. As well, they offered the enjoyable experience of listening to popular music played by skilled musicians.

On the dance floor, the quadrille started in France around 1760. Two couples, and then eventually, four couples formed a square, and each couple danced in turn. The head couple would dance a step and the side couples would repeat it.

Quadrille is normally accompanied by a band consisting of instruments such as guitar, fiddle, fife, violin, trumpet and rhumba box. The quadrille is no longer a popular social dance but it is one of Jamaica's traditional dances that are still performed at Festivals.

The "quadrille des contredanses" was now a lively dance with four couples, arranged in the shape of a square, each couple facing the center. One pair was called the "head" couple, the adjacent pairs the "side" couples. A dance figure was often performed first by the head couple and then repeated by the side couples.

Synonyms of quadrille (noun country dancing in formation)

• barn dance.
• country dance. hoedown.

Lady Jersey famously introduced the dance at Almack's, a high-class social club for London's aristocracy which opened in 1765, and by 1816 most members of the British elite could dance the fashionable Quadrille. From Britain the dance was carried to the West Indian colonies by wealthy members of the plantocracy.

Quadrille is a coupled (male and female) dance in Jamaica which was danced during slavery. There are three styles – the Ballroom Style, the Camp Style and the Contra Style.

Quadrille is normally accompanied by a band consisting of instruments such as guitar, fiddle, fife, violin, trumpet and rhumba box. The quadrille is no longer a popular social dance but it is one of Jamaica's traditional dances that are still performed at Festivals.

Also if u follow up with Single, Double, Triple then there is "Quadruple", meaning Four Times. Eg.

make four times as great : to make four times as great or as many. intransitive verb. : to become four times as great or as numerous. quadruple.