The Evolution of Aesthetic and Expressive Dance in Boston By Jod ...

Chapter 1

The Uncorseted Bostonian

Health, Physical Culture, and Dress Reform
for Women in Nineteenth-Century Boston

Between 1830 and 1870, the city of Boston underwent enormous changes, growing from 60,000 to 250,000 residents.¹ The region's expansion created challenges associated with sewage, overcrowding, water drainage, and garbage removal that stressed the health and vitality of its citizens. Boston's increasingly urban environment also contributed to job competition and debate over the proper role of nineteenth-century women in society. Women were generally restricted from public speech and limited in education and physical activity. These limitations, which were particularly stringent for upper-class women, were causing a host of psychological and physical ailments. Both male and female pioneers and advocates of the women's movement sought social reforms that would increase health, education, and expressive freedom for women. Boston's upper-class women were already venturing out of the domestic sphere to engage in institutions and organizations designed to promote the good of the community. As women participated outside of the home in the debate