Dancing for beginners - Term 2 of 2021 - class #7
Date: 2nd July 2021
This series of blog posts is to act as a reminder to those who were at the class. Further questions can be directed to Elyna. Instead of referring to genders I will be speaking of Partner-A and Partner-B. If a man and a woman are dancing together, the man will be Partner-A and the woman Partner-B.
As usual, rather than reiterating full details on dances already covered, I will link to the previous class posts where complete information is given:
English Old Measures:
Italian dances:
Today we learned another new Italian dance (For a refresher on Italian steps see this post):
Amoroso
- In this dance you need a partner, side by side with A standing to the left of B, and each couple begins holding hands (A’s right hand in B’s left).
- Couples are not in a circle or in a processional, rather they choose their own path anywhere on the dancefloor.
- Before we begin there are two sets of steps to learn!
- First set: two singles, one double, three singles.
- Second set: three doubles, one single.
- This may help… If you think of a double being equal to two singles, both these sets add up to seven. My brain considers them as three pairs of steps, plus a seventh single one at the end.
- The first part of the dance is sets of four pive, the couple moving together forwards wherever they wish. Depending on the whim of the musicians, it will be likely be either two or three sets of pive, so either eight or 12.
- B stands still and A moves away using the first set of steps described above.
- A waits and B catches up using the same first set of steps.
- B stands still again and A moves away, this time using the second set of steps.
- Again A waits and B catches up using the second set.
- B stands still and A moves off alone once more, this time (without stopping) they use the first set to move away from their partner (ideally end vaguely facing their partner), riverenza to their partner who returns the gesture simultaneously, then using the second set A immediately moves back to their place beside their partner.
- B moves off in the same way described above while A remains in place: B uses the first set to move away and turn, both riverenza to each other, then B returns with the second set of steps.
- Take hands and start again from the beginning.
- On the even numbered repeats of the dance, A stands still and B is the one who moves away first.
- Practice music can be found here: https://youtu.be/zgQ6LLKn-a0 This version gives three sets of four pive at the beginning, so a total of twelve, and two complete repeats, giving B a chance to lead the chase at least once.
Finally, we also learned a new French bransle:
Charlotte Bransle
- For this dance we make a circle holding hands, you do not need a partner.
- The steps for the first part are:
- Double to the left
- Two kicks – Left, Right
- Double to the right
- Repeat the above once more
- The second part as always is a bit different:
- Double to the left
- Two kicks – Left, Right
- Single right
- Three kicks – Left, Right, Left
- Single left
- Three kicks – Right, Left, Right
- Double to the right
- Start over and repeat til the music stops!
- The music does give clues as to how the steps go but this dance does take some memorising. It may help to notice that the kicks always start with the left except the final set of three.
- Also note that it is worth closing the feet after each sideways step to balance the weight, in order to begin each set of kicks on the correct foot.
- Practice music can be found here: https://youtu.be/3s13q3FAcIg, this music gives three repeats at a comfortable dance tempo.
Any questions let me know.
~Elyna