Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Day 13 - Dance

Shakespeare comedies always ended with a jig. The pipe and tabor provided the music for the dance.
Today, at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, every play ends with a jig!
Students interested in dance might research dance in the late Renaissance (c.1535-c.1620). The dancing highlight of this period was the galliard, a lively vigorous dance which could gain a gentleman a position at court. Queen Elizabeth was an accomplished dancer who learned the Italian manner of high dance; she was impatient with her Maids in Waiting who were less accomplished dancers. It was Catherine de'Medici who introduced the works of the Italian dancing master Caroso and Negri into France. Mary, Queen of Scots, the third notable female ruler of teh time, also played her part in introducing French, and possibly Italina, dance styles to Scotland.
Research:
1. Inns of Court -- their manuscripts confirm the importance of dance in Elizabethan England
2. John Playford's 1651 publication The English Dancing Master
3. Terms -- measures, almaines, Quadran Pavan, pavan-galliard

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