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    There is also, the "Bourrée du Berry" which is said (Giraudet) to be older than the Bourrée d'Auvergne and also said that it was not danced any longer by the 1870's. The merry and pleasant Bourrée d'Auvergne got its birth from the Branle of the Sabots in Auvergne, France.

    The Bouree is regarded as one of the most characteristic of the popular traditions of Auvergne which opened many balls of the time. The name indicates, in prior French, "wool" coming from the shearing and is sometimes called the French Clog Dance. Margurite de Naverre, who was

sister to the King of Sweden, Charles IX (1550-1611 ) introduced this dance into the French Court. It was very popular untill the reign of the King of France Louis XIII (1601-1643). Bach wrote music for this dance as well.

     The Bourrée was very favorable among the beautiful women and the young Lords of the time, as it was a very rapid moving dance as well as very lively. There are two version one of the Lower (plaine = plains) and Higher (montagne = Mountain). The Polka is said to be a descendant of the Bourrée.

    The Bourrée is danced partly to a measure of ¾ and partly to a measure with 2/4. It is danced by four couples placed in square, as for squares cross (see bottom).

Birth Place

Creation Date

Creator

Dance Type

Auvergne, France

1640s

Peasants

Procession

Posters, Lobby Cards etc.

Sheet Music Covers

Music Titles

1876 - Bourrée (Bach)

Bourrée (Gelnek) (Handel)

Night Clubs

Theaters

Locations

n/a

n/a

Albania

Auvergne

Bulgaria

Caucasus

Greece

Romania

Instructional / Exercise

Television

Ballets / Stage

LA BOURREE DU PAVIN

n/a

n/a

Publications

n/a

Other Related Dances of the time...

Allemande

Bouree de la Brande

Chaconna

pas de bourree

n/a

Branle

Bouree en v D'issoudun

Minuet

Polka

Branle de Sabots

Bouree de la Chatre

Montagnardes

Trescone

Bourrée du Berry

Dancers, Choreographers etc.

Political

J. Pierre Rameau

Madam de Sévigné (1769)

Catherine de Médici

Jean-Baptiste Lully

Marguerite de Naverre

Charles IX (1550-1611)

Louis de Cahusac

Louis XIII (1601-1643)

Books, Magazine Articles on the dance...

Title

Author

Date Published

Publisher

Italian and French Research?

A. Oudin

1643

n/a

picturesque Travels to Auvergne

Henri Doniol

1843

n/a

Traité de la danse

Giraudet, Eugène

1870

n/a

The Dance, Ancient & Modern

Moore, Arabella C.

n/a

n/a

Collection of Bouree's

Antoine Bonnefoy

1929

n/a

Musicians

Bands

Poets / Writers

Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750)

n/a

n/a

Poulenc, Francis (1899-1963)

Gelnek, Ivan (1683-1759)

Handel, George Frideric (1685-1759)

Lully, Jean-Baptiste De (1632-1687)

Praetorius, Michael (1571-1621)

Rameau, J. Pierre (1674-1748)

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

Dulcimer

Alsace

Lute

-

d'Aurillac

Baroque

Basic Steps... (basically triples and grapevines) view: Library of Congress MPEG video Clip

from Traité de la danse: 1870 -- (translated from French to English).

A) "The Pas of Bourrée is carried out to a measure 2nd 2/4:
1) 1st Time . -- To bend the left leg by lengthening the right leg on the left side, (crossing in front of the left leg).
2) 2nd Time . -- To be removed on the point of the left foot, by preserving the right leg lengthened in front of the left.

B) Pas of Bourrée carried out to a measure with 2/4. This step is the same one as the precedent; but the first folded movement is done over two times instead of one. The Bourrée step is also made with the left foot; one bends the right leg by lengthening the left leg on the right side (crossing in front of the right leg). Then one is removed on the point of the right foot, by preserving the left leg lengthened in front of the line Primarily local dance. This country dance is a little like the 2nd fashion in our Parisian shows (club or stage version), such as it is danced in Auvergne. We made some modifications which made us admit it dances. The name remains the same, but the true Bourrée does not exist any more."

C) 32 Mesures with 3/4:
   The Leaders and Followers of the couples n° 1 and n° 2, having the fists on the hips, go ahead, behind, ahead by steps of Bourrée and remain in the medium of squares (8 measurements).
   The couples n° 3 and n° 4 repeat what has just been known as for the first 2 couples (8 measurements).
   The Leaders n° 1 and n° 2, go ahead, give right hand on the right side with theFollowers opposite, leave the right hand, give left hand has àmaingauche (?), and behind will return in the center of squares; the two couples n° 1 and n° 2 regain their places (8 measurements).
   Idem (?) for the couples n° 3 and n° 4 (8 measurements). The 4 couples shout: Youp the catarinetta, youp. 2° 32 Mesures with 2/4.
   The couple n° 1 advance in the center of squares, the Leader opposite the Follower, and goes ahead and behind by Bourrée steps; theLeader n° 1 repeats with the three other Followers what it carried out with his; the three other riders, successively, start again the movements carried out by the Leader n° 1. 3° 32 Mesures with 2/4.
   The Leader and the Follower of each couple are held by the right hand, and the Leader turns the Follower by making the follower pass under the leaders right arm. Each Leader starts again with the Follower of the couple on the right-hand side, which is made with that leaders follower, and so on with the other followers. The leader and the follower of each couple are held by the left hand, and shoving makes the turn the follower by making the follower pass under the leaders left arm; each follower starts again with the leader of the couple on the left what the follower did with its leader and so on, with the other leaders. The leader and the follower of each couple, before the fists on the hips, go ahead and behind by Bourrée steps, then regain their original places while turning. Everyone shouts: Youp, the catarinetta, youp. 4°o 32 Mesures with ¾.
   Repeat textually the 1°. Everyone shouts: youp the catarinetta youp. 5° All the couples FINISH the Bourrée by carrying out the waltz at 3 times. Notice.
   All the movements must be done with Bourrée steps.

Other...