Basse danse (bah-seh-doncse) or La Danse Basse was also called "Dance Nobles" (dance of the "Upper Classes") and the Italian Hautes dances of the fifteenth century (Italy-Bassedanza, Hoftanz-German), were group participation dances. The Basse dance earliest writings are from a Spanish poem called "La Danza de la Muerte" (The King declines death's invitation to dance) about 1400. The basse dance was performed at French court for "the festival at Nance" in 1445 and later by Charles IX. Basse dances held a popularity from the 14th to 16th centuries. The French became very fond of these dances in the 1500s.

    The Basses dancesweregrave and solemn with small gliding steps, bows (reverence), and danced up on the toes, very slowly, and executed to that of many a Psalm tunes which were the opposite of the livlier Balli court dances. The bassedanse was usually danced with one couple standing behind another, partners holding inside hands with the dance being very gentle, not rough like the Volta. Original Basse dances were a regal processional dance consisting of "large" (start), that required a bow and a "small" (end), that required no bow.

    Basse Dances consisted of three parts and only five steps:
(A) the Danse basse proper,
(B) the Retour,
(C) the Tourdion,
... Altogether eighty bars, thirty-two for the beginning, sixteen for the return, and thirty-two for the conclusion usually in 3/4 time.

    Of the five steps, the simplest components were single steps and double steps, these were walking steps that progressed forward or backward.
1) The single step (pas simple) consisted of a step and weight change;
2) the double (pas double) was composed of three steps. Each step was punctuated by a slight rising and lowering of the body.
3) The branle (bransle) was a sideways step performed with a slight swaying motion.
4) The reprise (or démarche), was a backward step; Shift weight to and fro.
5) and révérence (Congé) was the formal bow or curtsy.
... The Basse dances were followed up with a Branle (finne par branle) or a Saltarello.

     By the middle of the 16th century the basse dances lost its appeal to the more livelier dances of the time, such as the Hautes dances . The Hautes dances were much livelier and spirited than the Basse dances and had numerous figures in which to dance. One Hautes dance called the "Gaillarde" was a lively skipping dance. Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603) liked to Gaillarde. As time went on the Basse Dance and the Galliarde mixed so that today they are almost one in the same.

     These Basse dances or Court dances were the start of the "Society Dances" over time to the present. The Minuet is said to be a descendent of the Basse dance. By 1650 the Basse dance had practically died out in Italy and France. When the Basse dances started to fade (17th Century) they were replaced by the Pavane.

Birth Place

Creation Date

Creator

Dance Type

Italy

1400

n/a

processional

Posters, Lobby Cards etc.

Sheet Music Covers

Music Titles

n/a

n/a

Basse danse Jouissance vous donneray

La Brosse (Attaignant)

La Madalena (Attaignant)

La Maurache

La volunte

Nef de Sante' (1400s)

Night Clubs

Theaters

Locations

n/a

n/a

Carvings at Florentine Academy

Court of the Dukes of Burgundy

France

Italy

Netherlands

Spain

Instructional / Exercise

Television

Ballets / Stage

n/a

n/a

n/a

Publications

n/a

Other Related Dances of the time...

Allemande

Espata Dansa

La Dance Basse

Saltarello

Bassadanza

Franchoise Nouvelle

La Danse de Cleves

St. Pé

Beaulte de Castile

Gagliarde

La Danse de Ravestain

Tandernaken

Branle, le

Gaillarde

La Spagna

Tourdion

Contredanse, la

Gavotte

Minuet

Volta

Courante

Hautes Pyrénées (St. Pé)

Moresca

Waltz

Danses par en haut or aladines

Hoftanz

Pavane

Dancers, Choreographers etc.

Political

Antonius Arena (C.1536)

Robert Coplande (1521)

Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603)

Cornazano (C.1455)

Thoinot Arbeau (1580s)

Charles IX (1550-1611)

Fabritio Caroso (1529?-1605)

Edward III (1312-1377)

Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603)

Louis XIV (1638-1715)

Books, Magazine Articles on the dance...

Title

Author

Date

Publisher

Bibliotheque National

n/a

1445

n/a

Basse Danses

n/a

1455

Festival at Nance (Brussels Library)

Les Basses danses

Autriche, de Marguerite d

1495

web link

Basse Danses

Colande, Robert

1521

n/a

Eighteen Basse Danses

Attaingnant

1529

n/a

Leges Dansandi

Antonius Arena

1529

n/a

Il Ballarino

Caroso, Fabritio

1581

Broude Brothers (1967)

Orchesographie

Arbeau, Thoinot

1588

n/a

retour de la basse danse

Arbeau, Thoinot

1596

n/a

Acta Musicologica

Sachs, Curt

1931

n/a

World History Of The Dance

Sachs, Curt

1937

Norton & Company

Dances of England and France

Dolmetsch, M.

1949

n/a

Down Memory Lane

Murray, Arthur

1954

Greenberg

The Wonderful World of Dance

Arnold Haskell

1960

Rathbone Books

Musicians

Artists

Poets / Writers

Ambrrosio, Giovanni

Serge Ivanoff

n/a

Attaignant, Pierre (c.1494-1552)

Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750)

Corelli

Handel, George Frideric (1685-1759)

Haydn, Franz Joseph (1732-1809)

Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches

Aristocracy

Conge' (final bow)

Longa

poulaines (pointed shoes)

Ballet, Ballo

Dancing Masters

Lute and Harp

sackbut (pre Trombone)

Bassedanza

de'marche

Medicis

shawms (pre Oboe)

Brussels Ms, the

French Court

Posata (halt)

vielle (bowed string instrument)

Burgundian

Italy

Other...

12/8 time (duple). Music uses Trumpet, Drums, Lute, Organ and Harps.