Saltare is billed as an ‘all-dance’ event, but apparently there’s some broader history having to do with performing arts.
There were three tracks of classes: two European, and one Middle Eastern. I took:
Gracca Amorosa – which is a fun and detailed Italian dance with lots of foot wiggles. Tap dance memory skills.
Safavid Persian Dance – 16th c, with Mistress Sindokht. This was a great intro to Persian, and Sindokht was very helpful about pointing out differences and common themes ("I’m so cute!"). I’ll be doing more of these.
Improvisational Dance, European – This really shot over my head; it was about various recipe dances that provide a structure within which you can invent. Since I don’t have much vocabulary (though I can parrot anything) my conversations are rather one-sided.
Mixed Bransles (from Arbeau) – This was a really helpful way to present a dance type; start with a very simple version and move up through progressively more complicated iterations. Now I’m feeling like I know what a bransle is. See rant below.
North African Trance Dances (the Guedra) – Mistress Maysun – I liked this a lot, and I could see myself giving it a try once I see it done a few more times. Weird, but neat.
Now it’s time for the rant. I really really hate that when I attend regional-kingdom level events with dancing, I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve taken a bunch of dance classes, and their usual problem is that it’s an exercise in short term memory. We plow through 3-5 dances in 60-90 minutes, and two hours afterwards I’m not sure what I learned.
The big issue is, of course, that there’s no dance practice in Phoenix Glade (yet – Melbrigda and I are going to change this), so it’s months between opportunities. However, I do appreciate Dance People’s recognition of the problem, and Alasais addressed it very well with her graduated bransle class. Now I’m just going to have trouble keeping each of those straight.
(The point was made several times over the weekend that it’s a fair bit of folly to separate the dance from the music – so ‘learning’ the dance is really also learning the music, which I also appreciate, and am going to make a stronger try, so as not to have to be talked through all the dances at Gulf Wars, which is just a nuisance.)
Do you have a good supply of dance tabulations, my dear? We can definitely help you with that. We can also point you to music sources, such as http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Music/.
You might want to join the mailing list: saltare_guild-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Greet, go back to your ballet background and how when you learned a choreographed piece you had “music memory” to remember your movements. Think hours and hours of hearing Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and how you can remember exactly what movements you do just from the melody. It helps to listen to music often to get the melody and phrasing in your head. It helps make many of these dances more accessible to learn.
I can burn you a copy of the dance music I have and get it to you next time I see you. I also have directions as well for many dances.
I think you would really enjoy any of the period dance manuals, but especially Arbeau’s Orchesographie, which includes very clear (charmingly curmudgeonly) descriptions of all the steps and how they fit into choreographies, which are given alongside the musical tabulation. Orchesographie is the primary source for bransles, and some other good stuff.
Plus, only $12 in paperback from the dealer of your choice.
You are right, only repetition will ultimately provide the familiarity you need with both verbal vocabulary and muscle memory. But with your background, it will come very quickly once you get to have some regular exposure. Practice and discussion with other humans is best, but individual practice and reading helps too.
I think you would really enjoy any of the period dance manuals, but especially Arbeau’s Orchesographie, which includes very clear (charmingly curmudgeonly) descriptions of all the steps and how they fit into choreographies, which are given alongside the musical tabulation. Orchesographie is the primary source for bransles, and some other good stuff.
Plus, only $12 in paperback from the dealer of your choice.
You are right, only repetition will ultimately provide the familiarity you need with both verbal vocabulary and muscle memory. But with your background, it will come very quickly once you get to have some regular exposure. Practice and discussion with other humans is best, but individual practice and reading helps too.