[SCA-Dance] Haut Barrois

[Mikuláš]

Michael Bergman wrote:
> Reminder: This list now set up with no reply-to header. Make sure you 
> reply to the sca-dance at andrew.cmu.edu *or* the individual.
> ________________________________________________________________
>
> At 4:06 PM +0100 1/9/07, Mikulás wrote:
>> The thing left to decide is how much motion in the ankles is 
>> involved. You can either do all jumps very softly (it looks more 
>> "renaissance-like") or with your ankles fixed and knees absorbing the 
>> impact - that would be very much like some gavottes form Brittany 
>> (Gavotte de Dardeloup or Jilgoden for example). But that is just a 
>> question of style...
>
> Ow!  NOT just a matter of style, but safety as well.  Absorbing all 
> the shock with just the knees is contrary to what I've always been 
> taught.  Ankles and FEET should also be involved.  I'll try to dig up 
> some authority on this; I'm certainly not one.
Indeed,

ankles and feet are involved, it is just a question of how much work you 
let them to do. For some unclear reason we tend to let the ankles do 
most of the work in renaissance dancing and knee as little as possible. 
In Breton dances, for example, it is vice versa - knee does most of the 
work and ankle as little as possible, you step on the whole foot almost 
at once.

For those not familiar with breton dances, check for example this video
http://videos.dancilla.com/m/v/int/pv/cb/004/Clip2191.wmv
from Celtic Bompa ( http://celticbompa.4t.com/ )

The efect of letting the knee do the work is far more "peasantish" look 
of the dance. I suggest considering the breton way of dancing, when 
reenacting dances of the countryside. Arbeau doesn't say much regarding 
the ankles or any other joints (except fore one fives-step, as far as i 
can remember) so the decision is up to the reconstructor.

But keep it safe ;)

Mikulas

Mikulš