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Other Branles:
Montarde, Hay, Official, Torch
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Step abbreviations
Dl double sideways to the left; similarly Dr
Sl simple, or single sideways to the left; similarly Sr
kl small kick with your left foot (pied en l'air);
The Montarde and Hay branles are for short lines of people (often four);
the person on the left is the leader. The Official branle may be done in a line
or a circle, for as many couples as will (it must be a circle if you want to
change partners). The Torch branle is danced by couples.
| Montarde |
The whole dance has little jumps, as the Haut Barrois.
A: Dl four times
B: the leader drops hands and turns with kl kr kl -;
then each dancer in turn does the same
A': Dl four times, while the first dancer makes a hey
to the bottom of the set, going in front of the women and behind the men.
Repeat till all dancers have had a turn as the leader. |
AB A' B A' B etc.
In many places the leader must go under the arms of the other dancers in
the hey. I think a more precise reading of Arbeau is that the other
dancers join hands again only after the leader has passed (often more
comfortable in 16thC clothing).
If you use a cd, the number of times the B section is played will determine the
number of dancers (four is common). Live musicians should play B as many
times as there are dancers. |
| Hay |
A: one by one the dancers do SSD B:
all hey, using doubles, till they are back in place
C: the leader alone heys to the end of the set |
In some places the A section is done with branle steps, to
the side, as in the Haut Barrois; in others with Courante steps, going
forwards. Arguments can be made for both; I like the courante steps. If you
use recorded music it will determine how many dancers you have. Four works
well. |
| Official |
A: Dl Dr B: Sl six times
kl kr, man
turning to lift his partner into the air, woman jumping |
A and B are each played sometimes once sometimes twice. The
whole dance is done as the Haut Barrois. Arbeau doesn't mention changing
partners, or the man passing the woman in front of him - the jump is done on
the spot. |
The Torch branle: doesn't contain any sideways steps at all, but is done
with alman singles and doubles. It's a mixer dance, closely related to the Ballo
del Fiore for two described in Il Ballarino.
Several people take a lit candle or torch, and circle the room looking for a
partner; each stops to invite a partner to dance; they dance together for a
while; he makes a reverence and gives her the candle; she looks for a new
partner while he leaves the floor, and so on. The sequence of steps throughout
is A: 4 doubles (played once or twice) B: 2 singles (played once or twice).
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16thC France page, for other dances from Orchesography
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