Reconstruction Notes

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Reconstruction Notes - Contents

About my notes: All renaissance dance sources are ambiguous, so for many dances there are several reconstructions circulating. This page is intended to allow dancers who attend my classes to refresh their memories of dances already learned, being sure that the version presented is that which I usually teach. It is not intended to teach any dance from scratch - other sites, such as Del's Dance Book, do that far more thoroughly. Primary sources for many of these dances, and much else, can be found at the SCA renaissance dance homepage. There is an interesting series of articles on the evolution of social dancing in Europe at the Library of Congress' website. I will add material here as we cover it at Auckland dance practices, and as I get time.

Notes arranged by time and place:

	France, around 1500	The Basse Danses recorded in various MSS and books between the mid fifteenth century and the early decades of the 16th century.
	Italy, around 1500	The balli and bassadanze of Domenico, Cornazano, and Guglielmo, described in various MSS from the mid-fifteenth century to the early decades of the 16th century. Also the MS known as "Il Papa".
	England, around 1500	Dances recorded in the Gresley MS (being personal notes written by one John Banys around 1500); English translations of French manuals will be treated with the French Basse danses.
	France, 16th Century	Mostly dances described by Arbeau in Orchesography, published in 1589, a few from Arena.
	Italy, around 1600	Mostly dances described by Caroso in Il Ballarino (1580) and Nobilta di Dame (1600) and by Negri in Le Gratie d'Amore (1602), a few from lesser Italian sources from Compasso (1558) to Santucci (c.1615).
	England, around 1600	Mostly the dances described as the Old Measures in various MSS from the mid-16th to the mid- 17th century.

List of dances in alphabetical order

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contact me at: katherine.may.davies@gmail.com