Eorling Mead Hall Planning/Discussion Thread - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 03-02-2006, 06:53 PM

I'm going to have some real fun with my next post, as soon as I can figure out what I want to do with this.....

Might as well store my information here as well as anywhere. Maybe you guys can benefit from it this way too. Not near enough here to go on, but it's a start.

Google search phrase: 'Medieval Dance'

Varieties of Medieval Dance

---taken from
here

Branles - circle or line dance formation

* Washerwoman’s Branle - a very easy dance that reflects the aspects of women in medieval life.
* Maltese Branle - a simple remake of a dance inspired by the Knights of Malta’s visit to the Middle East.
* Official Branle (also known as toss the duchess) - A fun circle dance that involves trading partners!
* Branle Charlotte - a more difficult circle dance that involves stepping and kicking to various changing beats.

Rounds

* Sellingers Round - a very catchy and lively circle dance done in the verse and chorus style of dancing.

***************************************

Dance Styles - - taken from here

* Basse Dance
* Bassa Danza
* Ballo
* Pavanne
* Galliard/Tourdion
* Measure
* Allemande
* Branle
* Country Dance

Courtly Dances

* Black Alman - a sedate processional dance that would have been done in entrance to many courts. 17th century.
* Black Nag - a livelier dance for three couples that employs the verse and chorus style of country-dance. Playford 1670.
* Rufty Tufty - a two couple dance with many turns in it. Would have been done in ballrooms where the sets of people would interconnect. Playford 1651.

Other dances

* Salterello - a hopping and aerobic dance reconstructed as best as we can from lithographs and sketches. Music 1400, Dance early 15th century or earlier?
* Prince William - a very complicated country style dance that involves a double mirror hay (figure 8 in mirror formation changing lines) English Country 1731.

****************************

Easy Steps(not true medieval but you take what you can get):

A single takes 2 beats, and is one step forward and a second step to bring the feet together.

A double is three steps forward and a fourth step to bring the feet together.

A slipping circle is done in a circle with the dancers all facing inwards and holding hands: the dancers step sideways to the left or the right without turning their hips.

A sashay involves a couple facing each other holding both hands, and moving sideways with a step identical to that used in a slipping circle.

When arming, the dancing couple grips each other's elbows with one hand, and uses two doubles to walk in a circle. Arming always appears in pairs; we adopt the convention of calling for arming left and then right.

When siding, the dancing couple advances with a double until they are next to each other with their shoulders parallel, and then use a double to return to place.

The set and turn single step involves a single to one side, a single to return to place, and then a turn in place using a double.

03-02-2006, 06:53 PM	#11
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Now you've done it, Fea I'm going to have some real fun with my next post, as soon as I can figure out what I want to do with this..... Might as well store my information here as well as anywhere. Maybe you guys can benefit from it this way too. Not near enough here to go on, but it's a start. Google search phrase: 'Medieval Dance' Varieties of Medieval Dance ---taken from here Branles - circle or line dance formation * Washerwoman’s Branle - a very easy dance that reflects the aspects of women in medieval life. * Maltese Branle - a simple remake of a dance inspired by the Knights of Malta’s visit to the Middle East. * Official Branle (also known as toss the duchess) - A fun circle dance that involves trading partners! * Branle Charlotte - a more difficult circle dance that involves stepping and kicking to various changing beats. Rounds * Sellingers Round - a very catchy and lively circle dance done in the verse and chorus style of dancing. *************************************** Dance Styles - - taken from here * Basse Dance * Bassa Danza * Ballo * Pavanne * Galliard/Tourdion * Measure * Allemande * Branle * Country Dance Courtly Dances * Black Alman - a sedate processional dance that would have been done in entrance to many courts. 17th century. * Black Nag - a livelier dance for three couples that employs the verse and chorus style of country-dance. Playford 1670. * Rufty Tufty - a two couple dance with many turns in it. Would have been done in ballrooms where the sets of people would interconnect. Playford 1651. Other dances * Salterello - a hopping and aerobic dance reconstructed as best as we can from lithographs and sketches. Music 1400, Dance early 15th century or earlier? * Prince William - a very complicated country style dance that involves a double mirror hay (figure 8 in mirror formation changing lines) English Country 1731. ************************** Easy Steps(not true medieval but you take what you can get): A single takes 2 beats, and is one step forward and a second step to bring the feet together. A double is three steps forward and a fourth step to bring the feet together. A slipping circle is done in a circle with the dancers all facing inwards and holding hands: the dancers step sideways to the left or the right without turning their hips. A sashay involves a couple facing each other holding both hands, and moving sideways with a step identical to that used in a slipping circle. When arming, the dancing couple grips each other's elbows with one hand, and uses two doubles to walk in a circle. Arming always appears in pairs; we adopt the convention of calling for arming left and then right. When siding, the dancing couple advances with a double until they are next to each other with their shoulders parallel, and then use a double to return to place. The set and turn single step** involves a single to one side, a single to return to place, and then a turn in place using a double. Last edited by littlemanpoet; 03-02-2006 at 08:49 PM.