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Canterbury Faire Ball, 2013

Submitted by Katherina Weyssin on August 15, 2012 - 10:00pm

Dance notes are on this page. Music notes are here.

IMG_6646

The order of the dances might change a bit, but it's unlikely that the content will. I'll add dance notes, sheet music and sound files as I can - keep checking back.

Thanks to everyone who suggested dances for the ball (by August 13th): I ended up with a list of thirty-five requests so I haven't been able to include all of them, but I hope you'll all find at least one of your favourites.


 How hard is it? Sheet music
 Dance notes
    First set
1. Simple Branles very easy    
2. Earl of Essex Measure very easy

sheet music and dance notes for Old Measures

(Earl of Essex and the two Almains)
3. Auld Almain very easy
4. New Almain easy
5. Ly Bens Distonys easy    The music will fit the version of the dance done in Southron Gaard best.
6. Galliard not easy    
    ~Tassel Kick~
1. Rostiboli Gioioso easy   two- or three-person version
2. Belfiore easy    
3. Spero not easy    
4. Presonera not easy   dance notes
5. Reale easy sheet music, dance notes, and sound file
6. Ginevra hard   dance - use this is the reconstruction (without the two superfluous bars)
    Third Set
1. Il Conto Del Orco not easy   dance notes
2. Contrapasso Nuovo not easy   dance notes (Il Ballarino, same as last year)
3. Cesarina hard   dance notes (Anna's reconstruction, same as last year)
4. Spagnoletta not easy   dance any version you like; the music will have six verses
5. So ben mi chi ha buon tempo hard   dance notes (check that is compatible with the Southron Gaard version)
6. Ballo del Fiore easy   version for two, and for three (check three person version with SG dancers)
    ~Supper~
1. Alenchon easy   dance notes
2. La Danse de Cleves easy   dance notes
3. Amoroso not easy    
4. Anello easy    

5. La Figlia di Guglielmino

 hard    
6. Petit Riens easy    


Key: How hard is it?

  • IMG_6584Very easy: join in even if you've never danced before
  • Easy: find someone who has danced it before and follow them
  • Not easy: learn the dance in advance or be good at following your partner
  • Hard: learn the dance in advance

Dance teachers at Faire:

  • Katherina Weyssin
  • William de Cameron
  • Ludwig von Regensburg
  • Katherine of Glastonbury
  • Anna de Wilde
  • Caterine de Vantier
  • Emma of Wolvercote (work schedule permitting)

Feel free to volunteer to teach, or to make requests about what you'd like to see taught.

Music:

Please get in touch if you're willing to play.

I'd like to have rehearsals every morning, as last year. If you'll need music transposed, the sooner you get in touch the better. If you'd like a cd of the ball list so you know what you're aiming for when you practice, get in touch and I'll mail you one.

 

Blog classifications:

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Comments

Vettoria di Gio...

June 2, 2012 - 7:42pm

I'd humbly like to request all my favourites, please, but failing that, I second Spero, and it'd be lovely to see Bella Giosa, Lybens Dystonnis, Lioncello, and Presonera.

-- Caterine de Vantier

Katherina Weyssin

June 7, 2012 - 2:19pm

You can't have all your favourites, but I've added your requests to the list - thanks for giving me named dances too.

-- Katherina Weyssin

Yes please can we have Ly Bens (early on in the program as it always seems to be the last one :-), and Ballo del Fiore with lots and lots of flowers so there's more than three...

I'm wondering if it would be possible to encourage a Caruso component -- ie having people who really want to dance stand, or --to make it bleedingly obvious -- have a place for them in the hall (a bower?) to lurk hopefully in. A bit more subtle and a tad less demeaning than having to bounce up and down waving your hands and resorting to crying "pick me, pick me " ....Also means you don't have to disappoint by constantly saying "sorry I don't know this one" -- they never come back you know....

Also good to encourage some kind of game/activity for those who want to be there but aren't dancing, specially if can be played on the side or intermittently.

Katherina Weyssin

July 31, 2012 - 1:22pm

Would it be helpful if we had standard way to show whether or not we wanted to dance a particular dance? Do you think we can get a custom established? (I'm interested in everyone's answer to this question).

The obvious options that occur to me are:

  • Stand nearer the musicians/dais if you're keen, further away if you're planning to watch only? (that means moving around a lot between dances)
  • Stand if you want to dance, and sit if you don't? (that requires enough seats for all the watchers, even for dances in which most people will want to sit)

We could have a herald make a suitable announcement at the beginning of the ball, before Ballo del Fiore, and at other moments as required, to make everyone aware of the custom we're trying to establish for the evening.

Other ideas?

-- Katherina Weyssin

Anonymous

August 1, 2012 - 1:30pm

Simply standing is not really enough -- it's a big hall, lots of people stand and move around.

So the idea of a designated area -- move towards the front?

Katherina Weyssin

July 31, 2012 - 1:26pm

If you attend the ball and don't dance, or don't dance much - would you like a table of board games, or similar, somewhere in the hall?

Dancers - do you think we can spare space for a game-table, or similar, for those who want to dance only a little? Perhaps we could use the supper tables for this for much of the evening? Would you appreciate having something else to do in dances you're not so keen on?

I like this idea, and will try to do something of the sort if I practically can (and if others tell me they'd like it).

-- Katherina Weyssin

William de Cameron

July 31, 2012 - 4:54pm

La Figlia de Gugliemino, Ginevra, and Spagnoletta Nuova in modo de Madriglia (but whatever version works).

William de Cameron

July 31, 2012 - 7:58pm

 Ta.

I'm also quite happy to teach, so once the list is finalised, let me know what, if anything, you'd like me to look at teaching (given that I think you have an excellent idea of what I'd be capable of imparting unto others :)

Katherina Weyssin

July 31, 2012 - 10:07pm

Cheers. I'll rope you in for something suitable. Ginevra, maybe, if it's on the list? Or La Figlia?

Katherina Weyssin

July 31, 2012 - 9:33pm

Thank you.

Any requests about galliard music? Or, since they're both rather demanding, which set you'd like them in?

William de Wyke

August 3, 2012 - 10:08pm

On the optimistic assuption that I regain the physical ability to dance between now and CF, I would like Ly Bens Distonys and Rostiboli Gioioso.

--

The Other William

Katherina Weyssin

August 4, 2012 - 12:40am

Thanks for your requests. I think that makes Ly Bens the most popular dance so far, by far - consider it a confirmed element of the dance list.

Katherina Weyssin

August 12, 2012 - 1:28pm

I think the event steward should get her requests, so La figlia will definitely be on the ball list, and Presonera probably.