[SCA-Dance] Fw: Gresley: Grene Gynger

[Justin du coeur]

On Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 12:49 PM, Mary Railing <mrailing2 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> *Ingrid Brainhard said a double was down-up-flat. Barbara Sparti said a
> double was step flat on the upbeat and rise on the next two steps. At least
> she taught it that way at a workshop many years ago. I once posted
> something on the Rendance mailing list to the effect that "Barbara Sparti
> says such and such" only to have Sparti herself post something like, "I
> used to say that, but not anymore".


Intriguing.  I grew up on the Brainard version of the double, until about
10-15 years ago when the Accademia della Danza went through both the 15th
c. Italian and Burgundian sources in fair detail.  I wound up with a
gently-held opinion that the best interpretation I've seen to date starts
each step slightly raised, drops down a bit (to very slight knee-bend), and
then rises over the course of the step -- that's at least reasonably
plausible for both repertoires, and I like the consistency.

Over time, I've wound up adapting that as a general aesthetic for *most* of
the 15th c. Italian steps, which winds up with a very distinctive but
pleasant style.  (And among other things, winds up with a desmarche that is
actually danceable, although I need to go back to Moderne et al and figure
out whether it's plausible.)  The umbraggiare falls out of it almost
naturally, and it's delightfully light-feeling.  But it requires strong
calves and feet to pull off, since you are ending most steps a bit on-point.

Anyway, now I'm curious how Sparti is doing it nowadays.  (And what the
rationale is.  The sources are vague enough to support almost anything...)