While we know that people danced in
Europe long before the
Renaissance, the first detailed
dance manuals that survive today were written in
1450 and
1455 in
Italy. These manuals, and later manuals from
France,
England, and other European countries, give us a peek at what was a very important social activity in the
Renaissance.
The dances in these manuals are extremely varied in nature. They range from slow, stately dances (bassadance[?] and pavane) to fast dances (the galliard). Some were choreographed, some were improvised on the spot. One dance for couples, a form of the galliard called lavolta, involved a rather intimate hold between the man and woman, with the woman being lifted into the air while the couple made a 3/4 turn. This dance was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England, and was condemned by the clergy as being the cause of divorce and pregnancy.
Related topics: Fabritio Caroso, Thoinot Arbeau
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