[SCA-Dance] A hint on reconstructing 14th century dance?

[Barbara Webb]

> From: Dani Zweig <dani at pobox.com>
> I would hesitate to derive style suggestions from this snippet.

It wasn't meant to be a terribly serious suggestion...but it does make you 
wonder just what they were doing that could warrant such a description, 
even by someone determined to be offended. But I would note that it is not 
(like some similar medieval criticisms of dance) occuring in the middle of 
a sermon about the degeneration of youthful behaviour; but comes up in the 
middle of a very straightforward description of different kinds of 
instruments and the role of musicians as servants in the noble household. 
In fact the same source mentions this:

"There is moreover one such who sings with his mouth and
charmingly makes music with twin cymbals [?bells] on his
feet going to and fro in the clear space of the lords' hall.
The clamour of the cymbals and the motion of his feet
accord well together. This entertainment is very fittingly
performed by some young women."

So it is not as though the author is in principal against any lively 
dancing by young women.

Cait

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