Dancing through the Ages 1600-1650

Dancing through the Ages (October, 2020) is a 10,800 page work offering background on, reconstruction of, and chorded music for nearly 1,000 dances from between from 1400 to 1900, as well as extensive notes analysing links between these dances, the evolution of dance forms, movement ideas and notation systems through this 500 period, and the changing nature of ball culture and dance sources in countries across the old and new word.  The whole is supported by thousands of quotations, diagrams and illustrations from original sources.

The work is broken into 31 books, each of between 300 and 460 (average 350) double-sided A4 pages. After the 'Orientation and Overview' book 1, the work is organised into ten 'Volumes', each of 3 books.  

Each 3-book Volume is devoted to a particular period and consists of 1,000 plus pages of research, discussion, analysis, illustrations, musical scores, dance reconstructions, source extracts, transcriptions and translations. The first book (Part 1a-d) looks at dancing in general (the social, political and geographic contexts in which dance and the institution of the ball was evolving; the nature and evolution of the period’s main forms of dance; dance elements such as style, etiquette, honours, holds, formations, figures and steps; developments in dance teaching, notation and publication, and period-relevant primary sources (including little known ones). The second and third books (Part 2a and Part 2b respectively) offer sources and music for, and reconstructions and analysis of dozens of dances from the relevant period, presented in alphabetic order.

To order any or all of the books in this 31-book series go to LULU. The books are AUS$36 each (approximately US$27), plus postage which will diminish with the more books in your order. As your books will be sent from the nearest Lulu printer on your continent, you will not be paying for overseas shipping and will not be waiting long for the books to arrive. Orders are normally filled at local postage rates within a week. 

N.B. I recommend that in addition to ordering the books pertaining to the period you first think of, you also order books from the adjacent period collections plus the invaluable Book 1: 'Orientation and Overview'.  Indeed, because of the interconnectivity of dance over the 500 years covered by this series (and the cross-referencing between books in the series), I highly recommend the full set!

When on the LULU Spotlight page, in order to view the books in the order in which they appear in the series select 'Sort by Publication Date Ascending'

Below are the front covers and contents of the three books that constitute Volume III in the series

Part 1: Dance in general   (Book 8)

PART 1a: DANCE CONTEXT ~ 8

Italy ~ 9

Appreciation of dance ~ 9

Dance in entertainments ~ 10

Women free to invite men to dance ~ 14

France ~ 17

Henry IV and the rise of the court ballet ~ 17

Louis XIII and the rise of the court ballet ~ 19

Growing French influence abroad ~ 21

Comparing the Vandosme and Stockholm ms figures ~ 22

The influence in alchemical imagery in French ballet figures ~ 24

The Low Countries ~ 28

An entertainment at the court in Brussels ~ 29

A dancing master’s manual ~ 30

In pictures ~ 31

England ~ 37

Dancing and dances at the Inns of court ~ 37

Courtly masques ~ 40

Dance and dance allegories in Jonson’s masques ~ 44

A 1611 Spanish report on an English court masque ~ 47

A 1618 Italian report on an English court masque ~ 48

The social dance at court ~ 51

The masque at private residences ~ 53

Dance in and linked with plays ~ 55

Dance and the Puritans ~ 60

Dance and the gentleman ~ 62

Spain ~ 65

Different types of dance ~ 65

Different contexts for dance ~ 68

Juan de Esquivel Navarro on dance competitions ~ 69

Germany ~ 75

The Italian and French influence ~ 75

The English influence ~ 76

Dance culture in pictures ~ 76

Central Europe ~ 79

Austria ~ 79

Hungary ~ 83

Bohemia ~ 84

Poland ~ 86

 

PART 1b: DANCE FORMS ~ 88

Introductory note and table ~ 89

Dance order in balls, ballets and music suites ~ 89

Dances from Italian and French sources in Volumes III ~ 91

The Allemande / Almain ~ 94

Its relationship with the earlier German dance ~ 94

Its relationship with Arbeau’s Allemande ~ 94

Its relationship with the contemporary Pavan ~ 95

Its relationship with the later country dance ~ 96

Its popularity in the early 17th century ~ 97

Its subsequent persistence ~ 97

The Ballo, Balletto, Bassa and Brando ~ 99

Balli and balletti ~ 99

Bassa ~ 100

Brando ~ 101

The Branle ~ 102

The Canary ~ 106

Cascarda ~ 108

The Country Dance ~ 110

Its esteeming and introduction to court ~ 110

The Lansdowne manuscript ~ 112

The Pattricke-Lovelace manuscript ~ 113

Concordance of some c.1650 country dance descriptions ~ 115

More country dances than we have music or instructions for ~ 118

The country dance mechanism ~ 119

The Courante ~ 120

The courant problem ~ 120

Rawlinson ms ~ 120

Mersenne ~ 122

De Lauze ~ 123

The Courant’s evolution ~ 123

The Galliard ~ 125

In France ~ 125

In Spain ~ 125

In England ~ 126

In the Netherlands ~ 127

In Italy ~ 129

The Gavotte ~ 132

Measure / Measures ~ 134

The formation ~ 134

The scope of the term ~ 135

Fading popularity ~ 136

The Pavan ~ 138

The ‘relay mixer’ and Cushion dance~ 142

The Tordion ~ 145

Torneo ~ 152

 

PART 1c: DANCE ELEMENTS ~ 155

Style ~ 156

Grace, agility and timing ~ 156

Undulation and shading ~ 158

Distinguishing male and female roles ~ 158

Starting foot ~ 160

Improvisation ~ 162

Holds and positions ~ 165

Bodily comportment ~ 165

Stance and turn out ~ 165

Plié ~ 169

Arm and hand holds ~ 170

Etiquette ~ 172

Ladies’ preparation ~ 173

Cape and Sword ~ 173

Men’s management of gloves ~ 175

Ladies’ management of their hands and gloves ~ 175

Presentation before a King ~ 176

Men’s manner of sitting ~ 177

Ladies’ manner of sitting ~ 179

The train of the dress ~ 181

Wearing platform shoes ~ 182

Giving and receiving honours ~ 182

Wedding etiquette ~ 183

The lady inviting a man to dance ~ 184

Sharing invitations to dance ~ 185

If a woman doesn’t want to dance ~ 187

A demure gaze ~ 187

Kissing ~ 187

Taking leave ~ 189

Honours ~ 190

Avoiding superfluous formalities ~ 192

Which foot? ~ 192

The 8-count riverenza ~ 195

The 6-count Riverenza ~ 196

The 4-count riverenza ~ 198

The 2-count riverenza ~ 199

The 1-count riverenza ~ 200

Caroso, Negri and Jacobilli on hat and bow ~ 200

De Lauze on co-ordinating hat, bow & kiss ~ 203

Honours and own-hand kiss in Spain, England, the Netherlands and Poland ~ 207

Formations ~ 211

Couple ~ 211

Trio facing up~ 211

Couple facing couple ~ 211

3-facing-3~ 211

Circles ~ 212

Squares ~ 212

Longways for 3 ~ 212

Longways for 4 or more couples ~ 212

Other formations ~ 213

Orientations ~ 214

alla destra / sinistra ~ 214

capo/piè del ballo ~ 214

contrary ~ 214

in fila ~ 214

intorno / attorno ~ 215

mano ordinario ~ 215

passaggeio ~ 215

presence / top - bottom / above - below ~ 215

Figures ~ 216

Arming ~ 216

Casting ~ 217

Changing ~ 217

Fall Back with two steps coming forward with a double ~ 217

Following the feigning with the full ~ 218

Going from side-by-side to man being above and woman below ~ 218

Gypsy ~ 218

Hey ~ 219

Jousting-like passing through ~ 220

Leading down ~ 220

Making lines vertical and horizontal lines~ 220

Men then women teasing, departing, circling and chasing ~ 220

Open and close ~ 221

Promenading to siding to hand turns to two hand turns ~ 221

The regarding of the woman ~ 222

The ‘reverse S’ ~ 222

Siding ~ 223

Siding with elbow ~ 224

Set and turn single ~ 224

Taking turns leading the dance ~ 226

Steps ~ 227

Alzata de piedi / Foot-liftings / petit relleve ~ 228

Balzetto ~ 229

Battuta ~ 229

Cadenza~ 231

Cambio ~ 233

Campanella ~ 234

Capriola / Capriole~ 236

Cinque passi ~ 241

Continenze ~ 241

Corinto ~ 244

Costatetto ~ 245

Dattile ~ 245

Courante (pas de la) ~ 246

Destice ~ 246

Doppio / Double ~ 247

Finto / Finta ~ 250

Fioretto ~ 252

Fioretto fiancheggiato / Fleuret cro(i)sé~ 257

Fioretto battuto al Canario ~ 258

Galliard / Galliarde / Gagliardea ~ 260

Gavotte, pas de ~ 260

Groppo ~ 261

Movimenti di piedi ~ 262

Passo naturalo / grave and in gagliarda etc~ 263

Pirlotto / Girate / Zurlo ~ 267

Punta e Calcagno ~ 267

Puntato ~ 268

Recacciata ~ 271

Ripresa ~ 272

Ritirata ~ 274

Saffice ~ 275

Salti ~ 275

Saltino ~ 276

Scambiata ~ 277

Scorsi ~ 279

Seguito doppio / Seguito doppio alla Francese ~ 281

Seguito doppio alla Spagnuola ~ 283

Seguito ordinario / Seguito semidoppio ~ 283

Seguito doppio ~ 287

Seguito col piede alto alla battuta ~ 287

Seguito spezzato schisciato al Canario ~ 288

Sommessa ~ 290

Sottopiede ~ 290

Spezzato ~ 292

Spondeo ~ 298

Trabucchetto ~ 299

Trangato / Trango ~ 302

Tremolanti ~ 304

Trito minuto / Passetti minuti ~ 305

Zoppetto ~ 307

 

PART 1d: DANCE TEACHING ~ 309

The Vocation ~ 310

Private lessons and James Shirley’s The ball ~ 310

Court engagements ~ 312

The importance of patronage ~ 313

Dance teaching according to Navarro ~ 316

The Dance school ~ 321

Publications ~ 329

Italian manuals ~ 329

Italian manuals —Caroso’s Nobiltà di dame ~ 329

Italian manuals —Negri’s Le gratie d’amore ~ 333

Italian manuals—Lupi’s and Santucci’s ~ 335

French manuals ~ 336

English manuals ~ 336

Spanish manuals ~ 337

Notation ~ 339

Calling ~ 341

Anonymous works ~ 342

The Inns of Court manuscripts ~ 342

Instruction pour dancer manuscript ~ 343

The Lansdowne manuscript ~ 344

The Pattricke/Lovelace manuscript ~ 344

The Stockholm ms—a Brussels dancing master’s notebook ~ 345

Authors and their works ~ 346

Caroso ~ 346

De Lauze ~ 347

De Montagut ~ 348

Emerauld ~ 348

Ludovico ~ 349

Lupi ~ 349

Mersenne ~ 350

Navarro ~ 350

Negri ~ 351

Praetorius ~ 353

Ramsey ~ 355

Santucci ~ 355

Part 2a: Dances in detail A-F   (Book 9)

L’Alemana d’Amore ~ 6

Alta Cardana ~ 12

Alta Carretta ~ 17

Alta Mendoza ~ 28

Ballo nuovo fatto da sei Cavalieri ~ 34

Ballo nuovo fatto da sei Dame / Austria Felice ~ 40

La Bassa delle Ninfe ~ 46

Bassa Gioiosa ~ 54

Bassa Imperiale ~ 62

Bassa Savella ~ 72

La Battaglia ~ 76

Bellezze d’Olimpia (2) ~ 87

Il Bianco Fiore ~ 94

La Biscia Amorosa ~ 102

Bizzaria d’Amore ~ 112

Bobbing Joe (1) ~ 117

Boon Companion ~ 121

La Bourrée à six passages ~ 126

Brando detta Alta Regina / B. in otto ~ 142

Brando di Cales ~ 158

Branles—opening suite (2a&b) ~ 167

La Caccia d’Amore (2) ~ 212

Canario (2) ~ 223

La Catena d’Amore ~ 235

Celeste Giglio ~ 243

Il Cesarino ~ 255

The Chirping of the Nightingale (1) ~ 263

Contrapasso Nuovo ~ 266

La Cortesia Amorosa ~ 272

Courant (2) ~ 281

Cuckolds all a row (1) ~ 292

Donna Leggiadra ~ 297

Dull Sir John / St Johns ~ 301

Fedeltà d’Amore ~ 307

Forza d’Amore ~ 318

The Friar and the Nun (1) ~ 325

Part 2b: Dances in detail G-Z   (Book 10)

La Gagliarda di Spagna (2) & (3) ~ 6

Galliard (3) ~ 23

Gavotte (2) ~ 40

Ghirlanda d’Amore ~ 47

La Gillotte ~ 52

Goddesses ~ 63

Graies Inne Maske (1) ~ 69

Il Gratioso ~ 75

Greenwood (1) ~ 80

The Gypsies (1) ~ 84

A Health to Betty ~ 87

Hearts-Ease (1) ~ 93

Hunsdon House ~ 97

Jack Pudding ~ 103

Jog On (1) ~ 109

Ladye Spiller / Lady Spellor ~ 112

Lansdowne no.4 ~ 116

Laura Suave ~ 120

Leggiadra Marina ~ 132

Leggiadra Pargoletta ~ 139

Lightly Love ~ 148

A Mayden Fayre / Once I lov’d a Maiden Fair ~ 155

The Milking Payle / Merry Merry Milkmaids (1) ~ 159

Moll Peatley (1) ~ 162

Murry ~ 166

Nido d’Amore ~ 170

Ninfa Leggiadra ~ 178

La Nizzarda ~ 182

An Old Man is a Bed full of Bones ~ 187

Il Pastor Leggiadro ~ 191

Picking of Sticks ~ 198

Pungente Dardo (2) ~ 203

Rosa Felice ~ 208

Rose is white and rose is red ~ 215

Selva Amorosa ~ 222

Shepheard’s Holiday ~ 229

So Ben Mi Chi Ha Buon Tempo ~ 233

Spagnoletta (2) ~ 242

Spagnoletta (3) ~ 252

Lo Spagnoletto ~ 254

Spring Garden ~ 261

The Tassel Jump ~ 266

Ten Pound Lass (1) ~ 281

Torneo Amoroso (2) ~ 284

Trenchmore ~ 291

Villanicco ~ 300