15thc_italian_dance_steps.pdf

15th C Italian Dance Steps

15th C Italian Dance

Steps

Basse Danze Steps

SL -- Single

(sempio 1 )

The sempio (single) step is just a single step forwards on

the left foot, as shown in the picture. A sempio right is a

single step forwards on the right foot.

Sempi are not closed.

There is some ornamentation in a sempio, basically I

prefer to do the campeggiare (shoulder and hip movement)

without the ondeggiare that is found in a doppio. So, the

sempio looks just like the first step of a doppio.

Two sempi can be done in one bar of bassadanza, which

means that they take three beats each, or slightly slower

than the first step of a doppio (which would be done in two

beats).

DL -- Double

(doppio)

An Italian double (doppio) was done to a rising and falling

movement, with the dancers rising onto their toes during

the steps, and falling back to the flat of the feet at the end

of the beat. This step takes 1 measure.

A doppio left in bassadanza time looks like this:

• Step forwards on the left foot (as shown above for the

sempio).

• Step forwards on the right foot, bringing the right foot

either level with, slightly in front of, or slightly behind

the left foot.

• Step forwards again on the left foot.

Note that there is no close at the end of the step.

Remember to start the next step with the right foot.

Since there are six beats in a bar of bassadanza time, each

of the above actions will take two beats.

Remember to use lots of maniera (campeggiare and ondeggiare) while

walking through the step: Bring your hip and shoulder forwards gracefully

while making the first step, rise up to your toes on the second step (as

shown in the picture), and lower on the third step. Be graceful about

raising and lowering, try to rise and lower slowly rather than falling back

on your heels like a sack of potatoes.

Literally, “simple” or “simple step”. Look for the quadernaria section in “Laltria Fia Guelmina” for an example of where this

description does not apply.

15th C Italian Dance Steps

Contrapasso

Contrapassi are doubles that are done consecutively on the same foot .

The first double is step left-right-left as a normal doppio, and then do a

quick shift of weight onto the right foot.

The next contrapasso will also begin on the left foot, so two or more

contrapassi in a row will be done left, left, left, not like sempii or dopii

which would be done left, right, left.

The last contrapasso in a sequence is abbreviated, so that instead of

finishing with a movement back on to the right foot, it simply omits the

final step onto the left. So, two contrapassi in a row would be done as step

left, step right, step left & back, step left, step right; still finishing with the

left foot ready to lead the next step. Three of them would be done step left,

step right, step left & back, step left, step right, step left & back, step left,

step right.

Contrapassi can also be done on the right foot, which are the same as

described above but changing “left” for “right” throughout.

Note that two of these steps are done in 1½ bars of music, and so the last

movement back onto the left foot is done rather quickly, and the timing of

the steps must be arranged carefully to match the music.

Diana Cruickshank examines this contrapasso step in detail in an article

in Historical Dance , 1992.

Reprisa

The Ripresa, the Italian equivalent of the French Reprise was done quite

differently. Basically it looks like two singles, and takes 1 measure.

RpB -- Ripresa

Backwards

Step backwards with the right foot, bending the knee slightly. Then join

feet, stepping backwards with the left foot and rising onto the toes. Then

repeat the same movements, stepping backwards onto the flat of the right

foot, and then step backwards with the left foot, rising onto the toes again. 2

RpF -- Ripresa

Forwards

This step can be done forwards on the left or the right foot. It is similar to

the riprese backwards, listed above, but done moving forwards.

RpL -- Ripresa Left Step to the left with the left foot, bending at the knees very sightly and

remaining on the flat of the feet. Then join feet, stepping left with the right

foot, and rising onto the toes. Repeat the movement, stepping with the left

foot and dipping, and then stepping with the right foot and rising. This

riprese can also be done with the right foot, moving to the right. 3

The riprese in the 16th C Italian dances was done as a single movement, in much faster time (half the time of a single continenza),

and always done sideways, never backwards or forwards. Many reconstructors have used the 16th C step as a rationale for

insisting that the 15th C step of the same name was also a single step. I reject this on the basis of the steps in Pietosa -- two

riprese forwards cover the same distance as two doubles (dopii) forwards, and hence fit better if they are two steps. Cornazano

provides another clue here -- he states that the length of a riprese should be varied, and also makes a statement that could be

interpreted that the step can be done in two movements.

I make the assumption that the sideways ripresa is done in the same number of movements as the forwards or backwards ripresa.

There is possibly less justification for this. The steps should be much smaller than the forwards or backwards riprese (see my

previous comment about Cornazano), especially in dances like La Spagna, Reale, and Pietosa, where the dancers are moving apart

while holding hands.

15th C Italian Dance Steps

RpT -- Ripresa

Turning

Place the left foot in front of the right foot, heel to toe, and bend at the

knees. Then, rising on the toes, swivel in place through 180° over the

right shoulder. The left foot will now be behind the right foot. Repeat the

movement, placing the left foot in front of the right foot while bending at

the knees, then rise and swivel again.

RvL -- Riverenza L The riverenza done in bassadanza time is done in a single

bar, or six beats. Here is now to do a riverenza beginning

on the left foot, in six beats:

• Push the left foot forwards, somewhat ahead of the

right.

• Pause

• Bring the left foot backwards, to somewhere behind

where it started.

• Bend both knees, keeping the body straight up and

down, keeping the head upright and facing forwards,

as shown in the picture.

• Begin rising off your knees, starting to straighten your knees and

start coming back into place.

• Return to the upright position with the feet back where they started,

straightening both knees and rising back into place.

A Riverenza on the right foot is done in the same way, except using the

right foot.

CnL -- Continenza

Left

CnR -- Continenza

Right

This pair of steps is done in the same way as a stepping branle, done in

the Burgundian Basse Danses. To do these as a pair of steps, the dancers

take a single step to the left, join feet together, and then step back towards

the right, joining feet together again. The steps are done in an Italian

manner, with the same sort of rising and falling movements seen in the

Italian Reprise. Each step takes the same time as a single step.

Occasionally they are done right then left, although almost never singly.

CbL --

Cambiamento Left

Simply, change weight onto the Left foot. A Cambiamento Right is a

change of weight onto the Right foot. This step takes no time -- it should

be done as part of the previous step. For example, a Single Left followed

by a Cambiamento Right is done by stepping forwards on the left foot,

closing feet with the right foot, then quickly shifting weight so that your

weight is on the right foot.

MvL -- Meza Volta

Left

A quick half turn, to the left, ending up facing in the opposite direction to

the one you started. A Meza Volta Right is simply the same thing done

turning to the Right.

VtL -- Volta tonda

Left

This is a full turn, to the Left, ending up facing the way you started. A

volta tonda Right is the same thing done turning to the right.

15th C Italian Dance Steps

Ballo Steps

All of the steps I have shown so far are bassedanze steps, that is they are

all in 6/4 time. A doppio is done to one misura of bassedanza time, in

other words in one measure or bar of 6/4 time.

Some of the steps that are to follow are in other misure. Saltarello steps

are done in saltarello time, therefore in one bar (3 beats) of 3/4 time. Piva

steps are done in 2 beats, of (usually quite fast) piva, or 2/4 time, and so

on.

Many of the steps can be done in any time -- for example the ballo

“Pizochara” has several reprise done in 2/4 (piva) time, while in other

dances reprise are done in 6/4 bassedanza time.

PvL -- Piva (Left)

The “piva” step is the main step done in piva time. The dance descriptions

of the time often say things like “do sixteen tempi of piva” which means to

do sixteen piva steps in sixteen bars of piva time, the step being implied by

a measure.

Here is how to do a piva step, beginning on the left foot:

• Step forwards on the left foot

• Step quickly forwards on the right foot, bringing the right foot either

level with, slightly in front of, or slightly behind the left foot.

• Step forwards again on the left foot.

Note that the above three actions are done in two beats. The second

action is done quickly on the second beat, and the third step forwards

happens just after the beat. The count is “ONE and TWO, ONE and TWO”,

etc.

The piva step looks like a very fast doppio step, which is exactly how the

manuscripts describe it to be done.

To commence the next piva step, step forwards on the right foot, past the

left foot, as if starting the first step of the sequence, and continue from

there.

SlL -- Saltarello

(Left)

A saltarello step is done in 3 beats (one measure of saltarello, or 3/4 time):

• Step forwards on the left foot.

• Make a quick "lilt" onto the right foot (in effect moving the weight of

the step backwards), then step forwards on the left foot.

• Hop forwards on the left foot, leaving the right foot raised to

commence the next step.

Note that this is only one of many interpretations of this step, and there

are other arrangements of the steps (hop-step-lilt-step) that are also found.

The manuscripts of the period are not sufficiently clear on the description

of this step for a "proof" of one method or another to be found.

15th C Italian Dance Steps

Saltarello

Todescho

A “saltarello todescho” step is done in 4 beats (1 bar of 4/4 quadernaria

time), beginning on the left foot as follows:

• Step forwards on the left foot

• Step forwards on the right foot, bringing the right foot either level with,

slightly in front of, or slightly behind the left foot.

• Step forwards again on the left foot.

• Hop forwards on the left foot, leaving the right foot raised to commence

the next step

This should be done evenly spaced across the four beats of the bar, one

action per beat.

Note the similarity to the piva step. There is no rushing of the right foot

step as there was in the piva step, however, and there is a hop at the end.

To commence the next step, begin on the right foot. Remember that all

steps are done in a strict left, right, left sequence.

Every Step Is

Derived From A

Doppio

Every one of the above steps is derived from a

doppio. Look back at the description of a

bassadanza doppio, I have included a diagram.

Note how the (left) doppio step begins with a step

forwards on the left foot, continuing with a shorter

step forwards on the right foot and a rise onto your

toes, and then another step forwards on the left

foot.

A piva step is just this step done more quickly, in 2 beats rather than 6.

Saltarello and

Saltarello

Todescho

A saltarello step is very simply the doppio step, with a hop at the end, all

done in 3 beats. Or, if you prefer, it is a piva step with a hop at the end.

A saltarello todescho step is the same as a saltarello step, but done in 4

beats. Or, if you prefer, a slowed down piva step with a hop at the end.

Or, just a saltarello step done more slowly.

In this way every step and time of 15 th C Italian dance relates to every

other step and time.

M -- Movimento

This is basically a small rising motion. Nothing else specific is known

about it, so I treat it as a small rise onto the balls of the feet, and down

again, in half of a bar.

I use the movimento as a place for improvisation in many of my

reconstructions.

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