Anatomy of a Dance Reconstruction, Part 6

At this point, we have all of the steps of the dance matched to the music. Now we have to interpret the movements.

We start out with men and women alternating “in the wheel”. The simplest interpretation is that the dancers will stand in a circle. We then go through the first movement of the dance, done to the “A part” of the music.

Beats	Steps
12	Riverenza grave
12	2 Seguito Ordinario (doubles)
6	2 Passi Grave (slow singles)
6	1 Seguito Semidoppio (two quick singles and a spezzato)
6	2 Passi Grave (slow singles)
6	3 Trabuchetti (one hop to each foot per trabuchetto)
24	Repeat from seguiti Ordinarii through Seguito Semidoppio

A riverenza is normally performed to your partner, but since everyone is supposed turn left to start the seguiti ordinarii, we can conclude that they all start facing the center. Given the circular arrangement and this initial facing, it makes more sense to reverence to the entire set.

Everyone then turns to the left, so the sequence of two seguiti ordinarii (doubles), two passi gravi (slow singles), and a seguito semidoppio (two quick singles and a step-ball-change) moves clockwise.

Everyone then turns back to the center, takes two slow singles toward the middle, then completes the three trabuchetti (small hops from left to right).

Everyone the faces to the left again for another sequence of two doubles, two singles, and a seguito semidoppio moving clockwise. At the end of this sequence, the lords will have to turn around to face their ladies.

The “B part” of the music now begins, and the lords and ladies start traveling in opposite directions around the set.

12	2 Passi gravi, and 1 Seguito ordinario (hands)
12	2 Passi gravi, and 1 Seguito semidoppio (hands)
24	4 Seguiti ordinarii, 2 flanked back, and 2 forward
12	2 Passi gravi, and 1 Seguito ordinario (arms)
12	2 Passi gravi, and 1 Seguito semidoppio (arms)
24	4 Seguiti ordinarii, 2 flanked back, and 2 forward
12	2 Passi gravi, and 1 Seguito ordinario (both hands)
12	2 Passi gravi, and 1 Seguito semidoppio (both hands)
24	4 Seguiti ordinarii, 2 flanked back, and 2 forward

Each lord takes his lady’s hand, and they change places with two singles and a double. They do not turn back to face each other, though. Instead each dancer gives his or her left hand to the next person, and trades places again with two singles and a seguito semidoppio. This means that ladies are traveling around the set clockwise while lords are traveling counter-clockwise.

Assuming we number the couples clockwise around the set, the first set of exchanges leaves lord 1 paired with lady 2, lord 2 with lady 3, and lord 3 with lady 1.

Everyone now completes a series of doubles, two flanking backwards and two more forwards. Assuming that the dancers don’t change facing, everyone will need to flank back to their own left: otherwise dancers will collide with each other as they’re backing up.

48	6 Seguiti gravi, exchanging hands around the set, starting with your partner

This series of exchanges will be tricky. Much as they did in the previous movement, the lords and ladies will work their way around the circle in opposite directions. They will use a slow single for each exchange. Since there are forty-eight beats in the “A” section of the music, each seguito grave will take eight beats. What the dancers will hear, however, is eight measures of six beats. I expect that this clash between the rhythm of the dance and the rhythm of the music will this section the hardest part of the dance to perform correctly.

24	Riverenza grave, and 2 Continenze
24	4 Seguiti ordinarii, 2 flanked back, and 2 forward
12	2 Passi gravi, and 1 Doppio presto forward
12	2 Passi grave, and 2 Riprese to the right
24	4 Seguiti ordinarii, 2 flanked back, and 2 forward
12	Riverenza gravi to partner
12	Riverenza gravi to contrary
24	4 Seguiti ordinarii, 2 flanked back, and 2 forward
*	Riverenza grave

And a final sequence to wrap up the dance.

On to Part 7.