1. Anne-Marie Weiser PD. 1

2. Extremely popular pastime in the Elizabethan Era Considered "A wholesome recreation of the mind and also an exercise of the body." The emerge of different styles of music and new musical instruments combined with various experiments of combining different instruments led to new dances being created. Queen Elizabeth encouraged music and dancing amongst all of her subjects, she had been taught to play musical instruments as part of her education and was a skilled musician of the lute and the virginal, her education also included dance. Queen Elizabeth and her court used dance as a daily exercise. The Christmas festival included the carole which was the most popular dance- song, it could be danced in a circle, in a chain, or as a processional. Our modern Christmas carols are derived from this practice. Elizabethan dance varied according to the social class. Many of the dances originated in Europe, notably in Italy, France and Spain BASIC FACTS

3. Court dances enjoyed by the royalty, nobility, and Upper Class were often imported from Spain, Italy, or France. Most of the court dances were performed as couples. The Pavane or Pavan - processional dance where Elizabethan couples paraded around the hall lightly touching fingers. The Almain-one of the Elizabethan principal accompanied by keyboard instruments and lute music The Galliard- lively dance, originating from the fifteenth- century, which usually followed and complemented the Pavane The Volt - only dance which allowed the dancers to embrace closely. In this suggestive dance the women were lifted high in the air by their male partner DANCES OF THE UPPER CLASS

4. The dances of the Lower Classes would have been performed at fairs and festivals, many of which were dictated by the changing seasons and the calendar of Church events The Jig or Gigge, aka Port-The jig traditionally involved 'leaps' The Hornpipe-Lively dance resembling a jig which eventually became associated with sailors. Often accompanied by a pipe with a reed mouthpiece The Roundal-Any dances which were performed in circle also called a ring-dance The Buffoons-Comic characters who originally featured in ritual dancing such as Morris dances DANCES OF THE LOWER CLASS

5. The dances of the English Elizabethan court were required to have Dancing Masters. The most famous Dancing Masters were Thoinot Arbeau (1520 - 1595 - French), Fabritio Caroso (1536 - 1605 - Italian) and Cesare Negri (1535-1604 - Italian). These Elizabethan Dancing Masters each produced Dance Manuals which were printed and distributed. In these manuals, the steps included, walking steps, cutting steps, sliding, stamping, leaping, jumping and hopping. DANCING MASTERS

6. http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-dance.htm SOURCES

7. A video of a Renaissance Dance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he7Dbk4f2RY&feature=relat ed