Home > Workshops & Events > Summer School 2023. Dances of the Italian Renaissance.
Summer School 2023. Dances of the Italian Renaissance.
Dances of the Italian Renaissance. Summer School. Exploring Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century Dance. Dances of the Italian Renaissance:
Exploring Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century Dance.
Friday 14th to Monday 17th July 2023 or Friday 14th to Friday 21st July at
Bromsgrove School, West Midlands.
(Arrival from 4.30 on 14th - departure after breakfast on Monday (weekend course) or Friday (whole week course)
We apologise that it has been necessary to cancel Hazel Dennison's 15th Century weekend course.
We offer a choice of a 15th or 16th Century dance course at two general levels of difficulty/challenge.The weekend course is aimed at those with little or no dance experience of their chosen period. The longer course is aimed at those with previous experience and some knowledge of the step vocabulary, with a few places available for weekend attendance.
The weekend courses offer an excellent introduction to historical dance.
Participants will study with their chosen tutor in daily classes, to develop technique and learn a selection of dances. A varied choice of afternoon workshops led by course tutors and other specialists will offer an opportunity to enrich your experience. Sociable evening activities will include informal dancing, talks and activities, with Tuesday afternoon free to rest or explore this beautiful and historic region. Each course will conclude with a celebration to share dances learned, for which you may wear a costume of the period (not obligatory).
Anne Daye
Anne is a leading teacher of Renaissance dance, always working from the original sources and their music. In her teaching, she nurtures skilful stepping, graceful carriage of the body and musicality with an awareness of the social context and manners of the time. She has published extensively on historical dance, contributes to international conferences and also to dance-related topics in the media. Anne is Director of Education and Research for HDS.
The class will focus on Italian dance from c.1550 to c.1615 and is aimed at dancers with previous experience of the step vocabulary, or ability to learn new steps quickly. The dances will be chosen from those genres that were exclusive to the Italian ballroom: balletto, cascarda, tordiglione, brando and bassa. Students will experience the rich variety of dance metres in passomezzo, gagliarda, saltarello and canario in compositions by Caroso, Negri and other masters of that era. A range of dances for couples and groups, and from serious and challenging to lively and sociable, even ‘traditional’, will represent the repertoire of the Italian courts.
Letizia Dradi
Italian ballet dancer, choreographer and tutor specialising in Early Dance, she has travelled throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas, dancing with such remarkable ensembles as La Petite Bande directed by S. Kujiken and Le Concert des Nations by J. Savall. She presented her studies at the Society of Dance History Scholars (U.S.A.), Accademia Vaganova (St. Petersburg Russia), Université de Paris-Sorbonne (France), International Historical Dance Symposium Burg Rothenfels (Germany), Bologna University (Italy), Teatro San Carlo-Conservatorio Napoli (Italy) HDS (London). She gives theoretical-practical lectures and workshops on 15th -18th century dance.
For those with some knowledge and experience of Italian 15th Century dance, its steps and patterns, and the dancing masters of that time and place, this class will focus on the instructions of Guglielmo Ebreo from Pesaro. Through exploration and practice of the: “Misura, memoria, partire da terreno, aiere, maniera, movimento corporeo…” we will attempt to bring his words to life. The dance at the Sforza court in Milan, as well as in Mantua, Ferrara, Naples or Pesaro, was an educational tool, an amusement and an artistic expression in which the nobles recognized each other. The language of dance, yesterday as today, embodies and represents beauty and enjoyment.
Robert Huggett (weekend course only)
Robert first took an interest in historical dances in 1987 and since then has attended courses by a wide range of English and European tutors, from which he has evolved his own style. From the beginning he has focussed on the period from 1450 to 1650, favouring the dances of the Italian masters. Robert was the principal tutor for the dance group Renaissance Footnotes from the early 1990s until he moved to Wales in 2018 and he also taught workshops to a number of historical re-enactment groups and other dance groups. Under his leadership Renaissance Footnotes performed on numerous occasions at historical palaces, houses, museums, galleries and on television.
The introductory/Improvers course will focus on core skills and, in addition to working on generic dance skills, aims to provide the student with a solid grounding in the footwork, common sequences, features and structures of Italian sixteenth century court dance. The dances that this course will teach have been chosen from the dances of Caroso and Negri to help us work on these areas.
Practical Details
Our venue is Bromsgrove School, Worcester Road, Bromsgrove (satnav address B61 7HP). The school is set within 100 acres of beautiful grounds with a range of architecturally diverse buildings. The dance, drama and music facilities are superb and we will have the use of an excellent range of dance spaces, as well other facilities. The school campus is within easy walking distance of the town.
The fee includes modern, high-quality, full-board accommodation per person. All rooms are single, en-suite and lockable, and there is an excellent choice of food in the main school dining hall. Visit www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk for more information.
How to get there
The school is centrally located in Bromsgrove town and is easily accessible for local, national and international visitors. Bromsgrove is close to the M5 and M42 motorways and there is ample free parking on site. There are taxis and a shuttle bus service to the school from Bromsgrove train station, and rail connections to nearby Birmingham International Airport.
Fees
The fee for the weekend course (Friday 14 July to Monday 17 July, depart after breakfast) is £280 for HDS members, £290 for non-members. The fee for the long course (Friday 14 July to Friday 21 July, depart after breakfast) is £653 for HDS members, £ 663 for non-members.
Bursaries
HDS may be able to offer a bursary to appropriate candidates. Details and the application form can be found here: https://historicaldance.org.uk/summer-school Applications should be made by email to bursaries@historicaldance.org.uk by 30 April 2023.
Recordings
Please be aware that we may wish to take photographs or short videos during the course
for HDS purposes.
Booking forms and further details
Please book online here at: webcollect. You will be asked for your choice of class during the booking process. Alternatively, you can download the booking form which you will find on this website and post it with your payment.
Cancellation and Refunds
If you have to cancel your booking HDS will provide a full refund until 24 June 2023. We advise you to take out holiday insurance as, depending on circumstances and the timing of the cancellation, we may not be able to provide you with a full refund after this date. If HDS has to cancel the course due to circumstances beyond our control then HDS will provide a full refund.
If you have any queries or questions or would like to discuss your needs you are welcome to contact Gill Plant, Summer School Administrator, Tel: 01782 661476 or email summerschool@historicaldance.org.uk