Sentence:  They stayed together during three <WSD>dances</WSD>, went out on to the terrace, explored wherever they were permitted to explore, paid two visits to the buffet, and enjoyed themselves much in the same way as if they had been school-children surreptitiously breaking loose from an assembly of grown-ups. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A piece of music with a particular dance rhythm.<ref name=COED2>(page=387)</ref>