Country dancing was formalized. The dancing could now be taught by dancing masters. The long ways sets, where everyone could dance were most popular, and the circle and the square fell out of favor. In long ways sets, every one could participate. For the teacher, this meant more pupils and more money.
All good people dance, from angels down.
The dancing fever was taken to the New World by the Puritans and early settlers. By the 18 th century, not to know how to dance in Virginia was considered a lack of good breeding. Evidently, he was quite the dandy. He loved dancing to distraction. George Washington favored Sir Roger De Coverley, which we today know as the Virginia Reel.