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Middle Ages

The 'Middle Ages' generally refer to the time period between the fall of the Roman civilization (about the 5th Century) and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance.

Medieval society could be generally divided into laborers and nobility. To some extent, the homes of the nobility also functioned as town halls and gathering places. Most dancing took place outdoors, connected to festivals and fairs. The information below refers entirely to the nobility with the exception of carols and other dances with ritualistic (non-Christian) religious overtones such as Morris dancing in Britain.

During the Middle Ages it was usual for the household to dance after dinner. Dancing generally took place in the apartment known as 'the great chamber,' but often also in the hall, and sometimes in the gallery, which occupied the whole length of the roof of most fifteenth-century houses. Musical accompaniment was provided by minstrels, or else the ladies themselves would sing; the musicians were on the same floor as the dancers, until later times, and especially at festivals, when they occupied a music gallery over the screens or entrance passage to the hall.

Early Dance refers to social and performing dances before ballet became a codified and systemized dance form. Dances from the Middle Ages were not written down, so we don't know what they looked like, but all dances survive by evolving to the next fashion. We can guess about those dances from the dances that people did in the early Renaissance. The Burgundian Manuscripts, such as that belonging to Marguerite d'Autriche from about 1490, show line dances called Basse Dances (so called because they stayed close to the ground - no jumping). Lauro was a Basse Dance written by Lorenzo d'Medici. There are many popular Basse Danses still performed today. Carols are ancient dances and songs that were used in festivals and celebrations. They were circle dances frequently done around a decorated tree or post. The Official Branle is an example of a carol that survived. The music has survived as a Christmas carol - you will recognize it as 'Ding Dong Merrily on High'. Branler is an old French verb that means to shake or waggle or move sideways. The dances are probably so named because they move sideways in a circle. The Estampie was another popular dance in the Middle Ages. Estampie has survived as a musical form, but the dances are lost.


Check here for more sources on basse dances

Basse Dance Project
Burgundian Basse Dance: A Reconstruction of the Brussels MS