Micrologus; Orchésography

82-08 ORCHÉSOGRAPHY: DANCES OF THE RENAISSANCE

CAPRIOL: I have come to pay you my respects M. Arbeau. I am an old pupil of yours to whom you taught computation.

ARBEAU: Indeed, at first glance I failed to recognize you because you have grown up since then, and I feel sure you have also broadened your mind by manliness and learning. What do you think of the study of law? I pursued it in bygone days myself.

C: I find it a noble art and necessary in the conduct of affairs, but regret that while at Orléans I neglected to learn fine manners, for on my return I have found myself in society where to put it briefly, I was tongue-tied and awkward and regarded as little more than a block of wood.

A: You took consolation in the fact that the learned professors excused this shortcoming in recognition of the learning you had acquired.

C: That is so, but without a knowledge of dancing I could not please the damsels, upon whom it seems to me the entire reputation of an eligible young man depends.

A: You are quite right, as naturally the male and female seek one another, and nothing does more to stimulate a man to acts of courtesy, honour, and generosity, than love. And if you desire to marry you must realize that a mistress is won by the good temper and grace displayed while dancing, because ladies do not like to be present at fencing or tennis, lest a splintered sword or a blow from a tennis ball should cause them injury. And there is more to it than this, for dancing is practiced to reveal whether lovers are in good health and sound of limb, after which they are permitted to kiss their mistresses in order that they may touch and savor one another, thus to ascertain if they are shapely or emit an unpleasant odour, as of bad meat. Therefore, from this standpoint, quite apart from the many other advantages to be derived from dancing, it becomes an essential in a well-ordered society.

C: Give me the benefit of your knowledge, M. Arbeau. How shall I execute the movements when I wish to dance a Basse Danse?

A: In the first instance when you have entered the place where the company is assembled for the dance you will choose some comely damsel who takes your fancy and, removing your hat or bonnet with your left hand, proffer her your right to lead her out to dance. She, being sensible and well brought up, will offer you her left hand and arise to accompany you. Then, in the sight of all, you will conduct her to the end of the room and give notice to the musicians to play a basse danse. Otherwise they might inadvertently play some other kind of dance.

C: If the damsel refused me I should be deeply humiliated.

A: A well-bred damsel will never refuse him who does her the honour of asking her to dance; and if she did she would be considered stupid because unless she desires to dance she should not take her place among the others.

C: Nevertheless the shame would fall upon me.

A: If you are assured of the good graces of another damsel in the company, you should take her and leave the discourteous one, after apologizing for having importuned her.

C: Here we are then standing at the end of the hall. The musicians begin to play a basse danse.

[MUSIC]

C: Now, M. Arbeau, teach me the movements of the Galliard.

A: We shall come to that after we have spoken of the Pavane, which is usually danced before the basse danse. A cavalier may dance the pavane wearing his cloak and sword and others such as you, dressed in your long gowns, walking with decorum and measured gravity. And the damsels with demure mien, their eyes lowered save to cast an occasional glance of virginal modesty at the onlookers. On solemn feast days the pavane is employed by kings, princes, and great noblemen, to display themselves in their fine mantles and ceremonial robes. They are accompanied by queens, princesses, and great ladies, the long trains of their dresses loosened and sweeping behind them, sometimes borne by damsels. And it is the said pavanes, played by hautboys and sackbuts, that announce the grand ball, and are arranged to last until the dancers have circled the hall two or three times, unless they prefer to dance it by advancing and retreating. Pavanes are also used in masquerades to herald the entrance of gods and godesses in their triumphal chariots, or emperors and kings in full majesty.

[MUSIC]

C: This pavane is too solemn and slow to dance alone with a young girl in a room.

A: The musicians sometimes play it more quickly to a lighter beat. In this way it assumes the moderate tempo of a basse danse, and is called the passamezzo.

[MUSIC]

C: Can several persons dance together, M. Arbeau?

A: You can, if you wish, take two damsels; but one is enough. And as the old proverb says: He who has two has one too many.

C: What movements are required in this dance which they call the Galliard?

A: The galliard is so-called because one must be gay and nimble to dance it, as even when performed reasonably slowly the movements are light-hearted. For some time now it has been danced in a manner known as the Lyonnaise, in which the dancer, giving way to another, takes his leave of the damsel and withdraws. She, thus left alone, continues to dance a little while and then goes to choose another partner; and after they have danced together, she takes her leave of him and withdraws. These changes continue to take place as long as the galliard lasts.

C: If there are not enough young girls or dancers to make these changes may one choose among those who have danced already?

A: You could do so, but this method was introduced to allow all the damsels present to participate in the dance, and obviate the undesirable practice of those—indiscreet in their affections—who always wish to dance with their favorite. Also, by this means of changing over, the less prepossessing of the damsels are afforded the opportunity of joining in the dance.

[MUSIC]

C: I should be happy not to overlook the Lavolta since it is coming into current usage.

A: The lavolta is a kind of galliard familiar to the people of Provence. The movements and steps of this dance are made while turning the body, and consists of two steps, a rest, large leap, feet together, and finally, two rests or pauses.

C: If I hold the damsel by the hand, it will be impossible for her to turn with me inasmuch as she is further from the center.

A: When you wish to turn, release the damsel's left hand and throw your left arm around her grasping and holding her firmly by the waist above the right hip with your left hand. At the same moment place your right hand below her busk to help her leap when you push forward with your left thigh. She for her part will place her right hand on your back or collar and her left hand on her thigh to hold her petticoat and dress in place, lest the swirling air should catch them and reveal her chemise or bare thigh. This done, you will perform the turns of the lavolta, and after having spun around for as many cadences as you wish, return the damsel to her place when, however brave a face she shows, she will feel her brain reeling and her head full of dizzy whirlings; and you yourself will perhaps be no better off! I leave it to you to judge whether it is a becoming thing for a young girl to take long strides and separations of the legs and whether in this lavolta both honour and health are not involved and at stake. I have already given you my opinion.

C: The dizziness and whirling head would annoy me.

A: Then dance some other kind of dance.

[MUSIC]

C: How should one dance the Coranto? Is it very unlike the lavolta?

A: It differs greatly from the lavolta and is danced in a light duple time. It consists of two simple steps and a double step to the left and the same to the right either moving forwards or to the side or sometimes backwards as it pleases the dancers. In my youth there was a kind of game or mime arranged to the coranto: Three young men would choose three young girls and, having arranged themselves in a row, the first dancer would lead his damsel to the other end of the room and then return alone to his companions. The second dancer would do the same, then the third, so that the three girls were left segregated at one end of the room, and the three young men at the other. And when the third dancer had returned, the first one playing the fool and making amorous grimaces and gestures, while pulling up his hose and adjusting his shirt, went off to claim his damsel—who refused his suit and turned her back on him, until seeing the young man was returning to his place, she feigned despair. The other two did the same. Finally, they all three advanced together, each to claim his own damsel and to implore her favor upon bended knee with clasped hands. Whereupon the damsels fell into their arms and they all danced the coranto helter-skelter.

[MUSIC]

C: What is the dance known as the Almain?

A: The almain is a simple, rather sedate dance famliar to the Germans and, I believe, one of our oldest since we are descended from them. You can dance it in company, because when you have joined hands with a damsel several others may fall into line behind you, each with his partner, and you will all dance together in duple time. When you have reached the end of the hall, you can dance while turning around without letting go of your damsel and the dancers who follow you will do the same. Sometimes in dancing the almain, the young men steal the damsels from their partners, and he who has been robbed seeks to obtain another damsel. But I do not hold with this behavior because it may lead to quarrels and heart-burning.

[MUSIC]

C: I thank you M. Arbeau for the pains you have taken to teach me dancing.

A: Now you must practice these dances thoroughly. And when you have danced with your mistress, return to the great pool of your studies to be enriched thereby, as I pray God may grant you the grace.

On Micrologus today, you heard selections from the following records: Pleasures of the Court, and Music of Monteverdi's Contemporaries, both with the Early Music Consort of London directed by David Munrow; The King's Singers Sing of Courtly Pleasures; English Music for Recorders and Consorts of Viols, performed by the Brüggen Consort directed by Frans Brüggen; Terpsichore, with the Ricercare Ensemble of Zurich; The English Lute, music by John Dowland, performed by Paul O’Dette; May I Have the Pleasure? with The Towne Waytes, directed by David Skulski. The book from which we were reading, Orchésography, is available as a Dover paperback.