Dance Tips: Dancing

Skill in dancing has always been regarded as a most desirable accomplishment. De Lauze, in his 1623 treatise Apologie de la Danse lays down precise instructions on how to bow and curtsy, to carry oneself, to extend one's arms and to balance. He is, however, rough and confusing when it comes to describing actual figures and sequences. This is reasonable enough given that his readers were probably completely familiar with the simple dances in their polite repertoire and needed only a lesson in deportment. Today deportment or etiquette are not often taught but there is clearly more to rewarding dancing than just the figures or steps of the dance. There is that elusive quality of grace. To achieve it teachers over the centuries have encouraged dancers to exhibit exemplary manners, offer a relaxed but tall presence, be light on their feet, lift their torso from the hips like an egg from a egg cup, let their chest lead as if being drawn forward by an upward pulling string, let their head turn ahead of their feet, dance with their whole body and move with a quite economy of motion. For those who prefer less of a challenge here are three simple rules: