The following reconstructions are all by V. Stephens (SCA = Rosina del Bosco Chiaro) unless otherwise specified. Each dance will have a link to the Discography page for recordings available for the dance, and the 15th-c. Italian dances will have links to the Step page, for any steps needed.

Caveat
The sources for Renaissance dance are somewhat vague, having been created for people who were already at least partially familiar with the dance form. This is especially true for the 15th-century Italian dances, where the steps are often not described at all, and the choreographies for specific dances often vary in different manuscripts. There was probably considerable regional variation, and improvisation was admired, so there was not, even at that time, one, immutable, way of performing these dances. Because of this, modern reconstructions show considerable diversity, and the steps, dances and styling will probably be taught at least slightly differently by any teacher, or even by the same teacher at a later date. Also, the same or similar step names were often used for steps that were performed differently in different repertoires.

15th C Italian Balli
Dances marked (J+J) can be found in Joy and Jealousy by V. Stephens and M. Cellio, which has been webbed by Eric Praetzel. (This is a different webpage.) Dances found there are: Amoroso, Anello, Belfiore, Belreguardo (Domenico's version for 2), Colonesse, Fia Guielmina B (the version for 2), Gelosia, Gratiosa, Ingrata, Jupiter, Legiadra, Leoncello (Vecchio), Marchesana, Mercanzia, Petit Riens, Pizocara, Prexonera, Rosina (aka Voltati in ça Rosina), Rostiboli Gioioso, Sobria, Spero, Tesara, Verçeppe, Vita di Cholino.

• Amoroso (simple two person dance)
• Anello (J+J) (easy dance for two couples in a ring)
• Belreguardo Nuovo (for 2)
• Fiore de Vertu
• Fioretto
• Duchesco (a dance for three in a line)
• Gioioso in 3 (the 3 person version of Rostiboli)
• Gioioso in 5, 7, 9 (adaptation of 3 person Rostiboli for more dancers)
• Gioioso Fiorito B (J+J) (An ornamented version of Rostiboli Gioioso)
• Jupiter for 5 (modern adaptation of 3 person dance)
• Leoncello Novo (3 person version of Leoncello)
• Petit Vriens (J+J) (Fast dance for three people playing 'follow the leader.')
• Rosina's Rosina (J+J) (Adaptation of Guglielmo's 3 person Voltati in ça Rosina)
• Rosina for 5 (modern adaptation of 3 person dance)
• Rostiboli Gioioso (J+J) (A dance for two by Domenico)
• Se No Dormi (a dance for 3)
• Tesara for 8 (modern adaptation of Tesara)
• Tesara for 6 (modern adaptation of Tesara)

15th-C Italian Bassedanze

• Alesandresca (for 2, has a 'gypsy' figure)
• Chorona Gentile (for 2 facing lines of 4 dancers)
• Cupido (for 2 in a line)
• Damnes (for 3 dancers)
• Ginevra Weasley (adaptation of Ginevra)
• Gioliva (easy bassadanza for 2 dancers)
• Lauro (a 2 person dance by Lorenzo de Medici)
• Pazienza (for 2 couples abreast)
• Pellegrina (for 3 dancers)
• Pietosa (for 2 dancers)

Modern Bassedanze

• Mordred's Lullaby
• Riunione

16th-C Italian dances

• Allegrezza d'Amore (cascarda for 3)
• Bizzarria d'Amore (dance for 4 in a square)
• Il Canario (flamenco-like stamping dance)
• Chiarantana (line of couples tie into knots)

Other dances

• Danse de Cleves - 2 person Burgundian bassedanse (but taught using Italian style steps)
• Old Measures - We did these quite awhile ago. Info, on other sites, are a concordance of the sources for the dances, and background info on them. Links are to Greg's webpage, material is from Dances from the Inns of Court, by Peter and Janelle Durham.
• A brief intro to baroque dance, given at Pennsic in 2002, including a simplified version of Minuet d'Espagne

Last modified: Jun 29 2008

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