9. George Washington was famous for his ballroom dancing skills and the ladies of Virginia would wait their turn for a dance with the President.
The first President of the United States wasn’t just a political titan. George Washington was also, by all accounts, a social butterfly. What’s more, he was an accomplished dancer. In fact, he was so adept on the dance floor that the women of Virginia would compete with each other for the pleasure and privilege of enjoying a waltz with the great man. That Washington was so skilled is far from surprising, however. From an early age, he made a real effort to become an all-round gentleman. He was a disciple of the best-selling book Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation – and took the society guide’s rules on ballroom etiquette to heart.
Despite being at the heart of the action, Washington even found the time to dance during the Revolutionary War. Along with his wife, he was a regular guest at balls. He dressed well and followed the rules, dancing with different partners and always taking the lead. Judge Francis T. Brooke, who witnessed Washington dance at a 1784 ball, remarked that the future President: “opened it by dancing a minuet with some lady, and then danced cotillions and country dances; was very gallant, and always attached himself, by his attentions, to some one or more of the most beautiful and attractive ladies at the ball”.