Many of the dance items are either ballet pieces or dances which originated in Europe. The Austrian ballet dancer Fanny Elssler, who made her debut in 1833, was very popular in London and Paris, and also in the United States. There are many illustrations of her in various poses and costumes in this collection .

It is interesting to note from the illustrated covers showing American society dances of the 1830s and 1840s that the orchestra is usually seated in bays in the gallery.

There are a number of items from "The Black Crook" of 1867 which was the first musical comedy in the United States. Several numbers danced by Irene and Vernon Castle, dated 1914, are in the collection.