Bizzarria d'Amore

By Cesare Negri, from Gratie d'Amore, 1602.   For 2 couples.
Reconstruction based mostly on the one by Mary Railing (Mistress Urraca in the SCA) 1990.
Differences from the original are noted, in [ ].

Steps: steps for this dance are described below
Start: Two couples in a diamond shape, facing other person of own gender, women on the right of their partner.
 

      Verse 1 (all verses = 8 bars, repeated)
Men Riverenza L, to partner, who acknowledges him.
Men do 2 Riprese di Sottopiede L, and 2 R.
Women repeat all of this.

      Chorus (4 bars repeated, plus 4 bars repeated)
2 Hops (feet together), Ripresa Minuita L, Ripresa Minuita R,
2 Hops, Ripresa Minuita R, Ripresa Minuita L,
"CIBC": Backwards Spezzato L, Spezzato R. Forward to place, Ordinario L.
              Backwards Spezzato R, Spezzato L. Forward to place, Ordinario R.
[The spezzati are done flankingly in this reconstruction, but the source does not say to do them that way. They may be meant to be done directly backwards. CIBC is a mnemonic for the figure, useful for those familiar with the logo of that bank.)

      Verse 2
Men change places, passing right sides, with Spezzato L, Spezzato R, Ordinario L, (still facing other man at end),
Men "curl", doing Spezzato R, Spezzato L, Ordinario R in a counterclockwise circle on own, outside of the diamond.
    (The path each man travelled is 3/4's of a figure-eight, the center of the 8 being where he ends.)
Women the same.

      Verse 3
Partners take right arms, and do a complete circle, with Ordinario L, Ordinario R.
Curl conterclockwise on own, with Ordinario L, Ordinario R.
Contraries take left arms, and circle with Ordinario L, Ordinario R.
Curl clockwise on own, with Ordinario L, Ordinario R.

      Verse 4
Same as Verse 2, except take right arm when switching places.

      Verse 5
Partners take right hands, and switch places with Ordinario L.
Take left hands and return to place (changing direction) with Ordinario R.
Curl clockwise on own with Ordinario L, Ordinario R.     [Original says to curl counterclockwise.]
Repeat reversed, with contrary.     [Original says to do it the same, not reversed.]

      Verse 6
Partners take right hands, and switch places with Ordinario L,
Left hand with contrary, and switch places with Ordinario R,
Repeat until back home.
Repeat all that another circuit around the diamond.
    [Original says to do 2 ordinarii with partner, changing places, and then 6 more in a hey, taking hands 5 times, ending in own place. This may have meant go once around the circle, doing 2 ordinarii for each exchange, or a more complicated pattern may have been meant. This version is simpler, and has exchanges taking one ordinario, as they do in the arming verses.]


Steps

These are Negri's version - not necessarily the same as Caroso's. Reconstructions by Rosina.
Keep all steps small. These are all given for the left foot - reverse everything for the right.

Contrary = person of other gender who isn't your partner. (Not an Italian term.)

Riverenza (Riverenza grava, in this dance) = 4 bars
Left foot forward, left foot back,
bend both knees with a slight incline to the upper body, then straighten up.

Ripresa in (or di) sottopieda = 1 bar
Left foot to side and forward, stepping on toe.
Lower left foot as move right foot forward.
Put toe of right foot under left heel, and lift left foot.

Ripresa minuita = 1 bar
Start with heels nearly touching, toes further apart.
    Move to the left, swiveling feet, such that end with toes together, heels apart.
    Move again to the left, ending with heels together.
    Move again to the left, ending with toes together.
    Move a fourth time, ending with heels together, as started.

Spezzato (Seguito spezzato) = 1 bar
Step left. Move right toe beside left heel, raise and lower both heels.

Ordinario (Seguito ordinario) = 2 bars
Step left, step right, spezzato left.



Recordings

Balli e Balletti da Ballare - One beat introduction. Used this recording in class.

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