Alegrezza d'Amore

A cascarda by Martire from Il Ballarino, 1581, by Fabritio Caroso. The original is on the web on the LOC site, and is transcribed on Greg Lindahl's site. The dance also appears in Santucci, and in Caroso's later book (where it has been radically altered).

Steps

Steps are all given for the left foot - reverse everything for the right.

Riverenza = 4 counts (or less)
Left foot forward, left foot back,
bend both knees, then straighten up.

Spezzato (Seguito spezzato) = 2 counts
Step left.
Move right toe beside left heel, raise and lower both heels.

Passo = 1 count
Step forward on left.

Cadenza = 1 count
leap off of the right forward, swing left foot forward and then back while in the air, land on both feet with left behind.

Trabuchetto = 1 count
Small leap sideways to the left, not really going anywhere. Right foot stays close to the left, ointing down but not touching the ground.

Fioretto
Jump onto the toes of both feet, the left foot behind.
Then the left foot kicks out the right, so land on the flat of left foot, right foot in the air.
(The next fioretto would be done with the right foot behind)

Seguito Battuto
Move left foot forward, heel hitting floor. Bring left foot back, toe slapping on floor. Stamp left.

Scambiato
Step sideways to the left, put right toe under left (so on toes of both feet), place left foot beside right (still on toes), lower.

Puntata (Could be done forward or back.)
Step forward on left, bring right foot beside left and put weight on both
lower slightly, rise slightly and end flat.

Pigtail Not a period term.
My term for a spezzato done in a circle ending with a cadenza.

Alegrezza d'Amore


Start: For 3 dancers in a triangle. Person 1 is of one gender, Person 2 (to 1's right) and Person 3 of the other.
 

Verse 1: Reverenza. Spezzatti to the rear, flanking, Left + Right. Passo, passo, cadenza to the left, and then to the right.
Person 1, then 2, then 3 does Trabuchetto Left.
Passo, passo, cadenza to the center. Trabucehetto Left + Right. Spezatti Left + Right back flanking. Passo, passo, cadenza to the center.

Verse 2: Fioretti Left + Right, Passi Left + Right back, Spezzatti Left + Right forward, turning at the end. (Inverted the set.) Repeat all of that on the other foot.
Person 1, then 2, then 3 does Reverenza Minima turning a little to the next person.
12 Seguiti Battuti, 6 rotating on the spot to the left, 6 to the right. Passo, passo, cadenza to the center.

Verse 3: 8 Spezzatti in a hey (1 + 2 start, taking right hands.)
Person 1, then 2, then 3 does kick left, kick right, cadenza.
Scambiati Left + Right, Puntate Left Forward + Right Back, Pigtail Left.

Verse 4: Fioretti Left + Right, Trabuchetti Left + Right, Passo passo cadenza to the right. Repeat all of that on the other foot.
Person 1, then 2, then 3 does 2 stamps with Left foot.
Person 1 + 2 switch places, passing right, with 2 scorssi ending with a cadenza. Then 1 + 3 the same, then 1 + 2 the same (1 is now home), then 2 + 3 switch.
Reverenza outside of the music.


Recordings

Il Ballarino - no introduction - start the Riverenza with the first note of music.

Last modified Jun 29, 2008

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