During the Elizabethan era, a very popular pastime was dancing. Between different social classes, Elizabethan dance varied. The upper classes enjoyed and lavished in the latest types of music at court. Many courtiers traveled and came back to the Elizabethan court with dances from France, Spain, and Italy. However, lower classes did not have the opportunity to experience this new court music or learn the steps of the numerous dances. The only way lower class citizens could keep up with the latest dances and fashions was through the theaters.
A masquerade ball is a dance where participants attend in a costume and a mask. They were a form of public festivities throughout the Renaissance Era, the 16th Century. However, masquerade balls became extremely popular during the 17th and 18th centuries in mainland Europe. They were commonly reserved for wealthy people of the upper class and were elaborate dances. They were a lavish and dramatic form of entertainment. Costumes worn were extremely extravagant. No expenses were spared in these masque costumes, their materials and fabrics. Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio attend a masquerade ball hosted by the Capulets. The donned costumes and masks to be disguised. At this dance, Romeo meets Juliet and they fall in love. The popularity of a masquerade ball resurfaced during the 1990s in North America. The still occur today, but are less formal. Formal dancing is less prominent and the party atmosphere is more emphasized.