Scene
1: Renaissance Court Dance 101*
When
ready to commence, musicians begin playing. Music: Arbeau’s
"Belle
qui tiens ma vie". Lyrics: French
& English. Then performers process through audience
from back of hall singing alternating between French
and English for as many verses as needed to traverse
the hall. After reaching the stage, all except Capriol
should slowly take their places in the upstage, onstage
seats.
CAPRIOL
At that university in Cambridge, I much enjoyed fencing and tennis
and this placed me upon friendly terms with young men. But, without
a knowledge of dancing, I could not please with damsels, upon whom,
it seems to me, the entire reputation of an eligible young man depends.
CAPRIOL picks up book, reads:
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.
ARBEAU
steps forward although still upstage of CAPRIOL on one side.
ARBEAU
And there is more to it than this, for dancing is practised 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 savour 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.
CAPRIOL
CAPRIOL looks at and reads book title:
Orchesography, (that’s the study of dancing) by Thoinot Arbeau,
with additional comments from Fabritio Caroso’s Nobilità di dame:
Courtly Dance of the Renaissance.
CAROSO steps into space on other side forming a triangle with
CAPRIOL at the downstage tip. CAPRIOL flips to another
section of the book and reads:
Kings and princes are wont to command performances of dancing and
masquerades to salute, entertain and give joyous greeting to foreign
nobles.
CAROSO
Pavans announce the grand ball and are arranged to last until the
dancers have circled the hall two or three times and are also used
in masquerades to herald the entrance of the gods and goddesses
in their triumphal chariots or emperors and kings in full majesty.
ARBEAU
Performers in such court masques invite audience members to join
in dancing popular dances at the end of the masque. This dance finale
is called the measures or the revels.
CAROSO
We take part in such rejoicing to celebrate wedding days and in
the rites of our religious festivals, in spite of the abhorrence
of reformers, (like Puritans) which latter deserve to be fed upon
goat’s meat cooked in a pie without bacon.
CAPRIOL
(putting book down) Do not tantalize me by delaying any longer
to grant my request to learn how the movements of the dance are
performed, in order that I may master them and not be reproached
for having the heart of a pig and the head of an ass.
ARBEAU
As I have already told you, dancing is a useful device for ascertaining
whether a person be deformed by the gout or otherwise defective
of limb. Also whether they be comely and modest.
CAPRIOL
God be thanked, I have no such infirmities, and only a sister twelve
years old whom I shall instruct when you have taught me.
CAROSO
Dancing is a very suitable exercise for young girls since they are
not free to take walks, or go here, there and everywhere about the
town as we may without reprehension. In fact, we need to dance less
than they.
CAPRIOL
But for all that, I am desirous of learning this art, which is at
once so old, so honourable and so beneficial.
Please tell me, Sir, if I desired to do a dance right now, how should
I begin, what movement would be required, and what rules I would
follow.
ARBEAU
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 dance. And
when they begin to play you will begin to dance.
CAPRIOL
If the damsel refused me I should be deeply humiliated.
CAROSO
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.
DISCIPLE
Up to this point you have taught us about the comportment for gentlemen;
I should like to know that for ladies.
CAROSO
First of all, a lady should learn how to make a bow, or grave Reverence
thus: that is, beginning with feet together, she draws her left
foot back three or four fingerbreadths, keeping it completely flat;
then she bows, inclining her body a little before bending her knees
but with head erect. Now as soon as she has bowed, she should slowly
straighten up, joining that left foot to the other in place. Be
careful not to adopt the habit of some who first draw their bodies
back while bending deeply, and then thrust their bodies forward.
Still others bend so very straight down and then rise, that they
truly resemble a hen about to lay an egg.
ARBEAU
Now you are ready to learn the individual steps. There are several
types of dances, but they all rely on a few similar steps. The most
basic of these are singles and doubles. The single is just stepping
onto one foot and closing next to it with the other. A double is
three steps and a close.
CAROSO
Steps always start on the left side and then are generally repeated
on the right side as symmetry and balance make dances more beautiful
and harmonious.
ARBEAU
These steps can be done in any direction, however. The pavan is
two singles and one double either forwards or backwards The branle...
CAROSO
He means the French dance, not a fight in a tavern...
ARBEAU
...uses singles and doubles to the left and the right. The almain
is similar to the branle but adds a brush of the foot forwards instead
of a close while the canary dance adds beats and stomps in a Spanish,
almost barbaric style.
CAROSO
In the Italian style, these steps and many others are done partially
on the toes, but for now we will concentrate on the simpler French
style which nevertheless, more complicated and refined than the
English style.
CAPRIOL
Naturally.
ARBEAU
Sometimes branles include small kicks, but the dance that is best
known for its kicks is the galliard.
CAROSO
The galliard is the most difficult dances that we teach as well
as one of the most vigorous.
ARBEAU
In French it is called the cinquepace because it has five steps:
four kicks and a large jump and cadenza which switches feet. The
five steps occur in six counts of music which gives galliard music
its particular rhythm. There are many variations on the galliard
step involving beats and turns and other fancy touches, and the
dancer can improvise combinations as long as he...
CAROSO
or she...
ARBEAU
...lands with the cadenza on the sixth count.
CAROSO
There are some persons so nimble in the air that they have invented
numerous leaps, sometimes doubling or tripling them as a substitute
for the five or eleven steps, and completing these leaps they have
finished so neatly on the cadenza as to gain the reputation of being
very fine dancers. But it has often come to pass that in performing
these feats of agility they have fallen down, when laughter and
jeers have ensued. Wherefore the prudent have always advised against
such leaps, unless they are performed so easily that no ill consequence
could befall the dancer.
ARBEAU
Oftentimes galliard steps will be part of other dance suites or
ballets where they are marked by the change in music to the distinctive
six counts. Other times it will be coupled with a pavan in which
case the slow, graceful pavan proceeds and complements the rapid,
energetic galliard and gives the dancers some time to catch their
breath. Lastly, lavolta is a particular type of galliard step that
involves lifting the lady high off of the floor. In all of the galliard
steps and variations, you must not forget to be careful of your
partner.
CAPRIOL
I shall take care to remember this advice because he who dances
boisterously causes needless discomfort and jolting to the said
damsel.
CAROSO
Nowadays, dancers lack these courteous considerations in their lavoltas
and other similarly wanton and wayward dances that have been brought
into usage. In dancing them the damsels are made to bouce about
in such a fashion that more often than not the show their bare knees
unless they keep one hand on their skirts to prevent it.
CAPRIOL
This manner of dancing seems neither beautiful nor honourable to
me unless one is dancing with some strapping hussy from the servants
hall.
DISCIPLE, dancing with CAPRIOL slaps him.
CAPRIOL
But it said so in the book.
DISCIPLE
And you believe everything you read?
CAPRIOL
Well, I suppose I should not overlook the lavolta since it is coming
into current usage.
DISCIPLE
Why I recently saw it performed in That Playwright in Love
and the one about our late monarch.
CAPRIOL
Don’t be anachronistic.
DISCIPLE
Don't be anachro-what?
ARBEAU
Make your reverence (holding the damsel by the hand) and before
you begin turning take a few steps around the room, by way of preparation.
When you with to turn, release the damsels’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 to leap when you
push her 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.
CAROSO
This done, you will perform the turns of the lavolta together as
described above. And after having spun round 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.
CAPRIOL
The dizziness and whirling head would annoy me.
DISCIPLE
Then dance some other kind of dance.
CAROSO
They should take care, when preparing for a ball or other event,
properly to fasten their farthingales, stocking strings, and other
items which I am loathe to mention for modesty’s sake, but which
with my own eyes I have seen them drop and have to recover (a most
shameful thing). Now to save their own honour they should attend
to this before leaving the house.
DISCIPLE
These recommendations of yours are good; therefore, do go on.
CAROSO
Frequently at balls there are some ladies who are never invited
to dance; they should not be melancholy or dejected, however, but
should disguise their feelings by pretending to be as happy as possible,
and by conversing with other ladies sitting nearby.
ARBEAU
You have executed your steps and movements nicely and kept the rhythm
well, but when you dance in company never look down at your feet
to see whether you are performing the steps correctly. Keep your
head and body erect and appear self-possessed. Spit and blow your
nose sparingly, or if needs must turn your head away and use a fair
white handkerchief. Converse affably in a low, modest voice, your
hands at your sides, neither hanging limp nor moving nervously.
Be suitably and neatly dressed, your hose well secured and your
shoes clean...
CAPRIOL
Reading to himself again, finishing alone
...and remember this advice not only when you are dancing the galliard
but in performing all other kinds of dance as well.
CAPRIOL lays book aside. BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO enter with three
masks. CAPRIOL becomes Romeo.
*
This scene is compiled from excerpts from Thoinot Arbeau's Orchesography
and Fabritio Caroso’s Nobilità di dame: Courtly Dance of the
Renaissance, the former translated by Mary Stewart Evans and
edited by Julia Sutton (1967), and the latter tranlated and edited
by Julia Sutton (1986).
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