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Winter Warm-up Rehearsals

Submitted by Katherina Weyssin on July 31, 2012 - 2:33pm

We're rehearsing for the Winter Warm-up at present.

  • Belfiore - Anna de Wilde will lead this; the other places are open
  • La Figlia di Guglielmino - Katherina Weyssin  and William de Cameron
  • Spero - Katherina Weyssin, Anna de Wilde, Katherine of Glastonbury
  • Washerwomen's branle - audience participation, Katherina will lead, everyone will dance

Rehearsal notes:

We will all start at the back-right corner (from the audience's perspective), by the music, as usual.

When you have performed your dance, retire to the other back corner, until you need to return (unless I say otherwise).

Keep your "performance face" on at all times: happy, engaged looks, no fidgeting, no de-briefing.

Belfiore

Follow-my-leader dance for three people. Anna and two others.

Anna will lead the set. The other two dancers will be chosen on the night. If any of our newer dancers (Christine, William de Wyke, Caterina Nuova) would like to dance this, they may. If six or more of us want to dance, we might have two sets if there's space.

The "feel" I'm looking for is playful and graceful in equal measure.

Anna will centre the first repeat a little to one side of the stage. The second person should aim for the other side of the stage. The third person should aim to finish in the centre.

At the end of the third time through the dance, the person in the middle should not try to get all the way to the front with the pive (in the "figure 6"): instead, end in a triangle, reverence to each other, then to the audience, before retiring.

La figlia

William de Cameron and Katherina Weyssin.

We will start at the right-hand side (from audience perspective; i.e. William closer to audience than Katherina), and dance to left-hand side. At end, reverence to each other; convert to face audience, reverence to them, then retire to corner.

Points to watch:

  • We may not have quite enough length: the usual space is a fairly squat rectangle. Keep the steps tiny when we're separating, take a diagonal path if necessary.
  • Spacing in first section: Katherina to take slightly smaller steps. Eye-contact as we turn to separate.
  • Bassadanza: no rise-and-fall on first two steps; begin that after reverence.
  • Quadernaria (coming together again): William, small jump after turning-with-saltarello; larger jump after Katherina turns-with-pive
  • Last section: don't circle too far in first pive group, then both do sempio, only Katherina does movimento.

Spero

Katherina Weyssin (Caterine had to pull out), Anna de Wilde (in the centre), Katherine of Glastonbury.

Progress the opposite way across the stage to William and Katherina (i.e. start at left, move to right).

Start 1/3 of the way into the space, to allow space for repeat.

At end, pose as usual, then rotate to face audience to reverence. Anna will lead this - follow her.

Points to watch:

  • Pinkies-in-the-air hold for the first section, both times. Anna will put her hands up, Caterine and Katherine take her fingers as offered.
  • Saltarello tedesco (stamps): use the ball of your foot, move only your leg from the hip down not whole body. Keep it light and graceful.
  • Mezavolte: turn at the end of the step your doing, before the ornament (e.g. swivel then stamp/hop). Usually over the right shoulder.
  • Saltarelli to pass each other: keep these small, Caterine follow Katherine. Pass shoulders with Anna at end of second saltarello. Hop up, rather than forwards (no need to actually leave ground, just bounce gracefully) to avoid covering ground.

Washerwomen's branle

Everyone, including the audience.

Katherina will invite members of the audience to come forward to learn the dance. Arrange people into a circle, scatter yourselves around the circle.

Katherina will take the person to her left as her partner, and a "man". We'll number off around the circle to find partners.

Brief walk-through, then dancing. Katherine will call, but feel free to help/join in if the people around you are struggling, or can't hear. We may do this twice, if there is time.

Costume notes:

Dress rehearsal on Thursday the 2nd.

If you have mid-late 15th-century Italian clothes, wear them. If not, other 15th century European clothes (e.g. Burgundian); if not go for 14th or 16th century clothes that are not too far off in style. Avoid corsets and farthingales, but 16thC outfits with soft skirts will be fine  (e.g. the Breughel-inspired stuff that many of us wear at CF).

So far we have:

  • Katherina Weyssin - red burgundian
  • William de Cameron - green 14th C cote, herjolfnes hat
  • Anna de Wilde - Katherina's 15th C red woolen gown; or 16thC kirtle
  • Caterine de Vantier - older 15th C gown, or 16th C Flemish outfit
  • Katherine of Glastonbury - 14thC outfit, or pink and brown Brueghel outfit

Please wear whichever shoes you usually dance in.

About the Winter WarmUp:

Danish House
6 Rockridge Avenue Penrose
 
August 11th, 2012 - 6:00pm - 10:00pm

The Winter Warm-up is an annual event run by the Ruritanian International Folkdance Club, in conjunction with the Danish Society Folk Dancers.

For the last few years several dancers from Ildhafn have attended and performed, and we've always had a great time. There's good food, good company, and lots of dancing, both to watch and to join. No costume needed,  just shoes you can dance in.

The dancing starts at about 6:30. Our performance is at 7:30pm. Dancers: please be present and fully costumed by 7:10 at the absolute latest.

Admission is by donation at the door. Some food is available for purchase - very tasty, reasonable prices, get in early.

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