“I’m excited to offer this very beginning introduction to English country dancing. If you’ve loved to play the delightful dance tunes from Playford’s “Dancing Master,” this is your chance to get acquainted with some of the lovely dances these tunes were written for. No dance experience necessary! I’ve picked five easy dances for us: a circle dance, “The Maltese,” from Arbeau’s “Orchésographie,” and four English country dances: “Sellenger’s Round,” ‘Upon a Summer’s Day,” “Childgrove,” and “The Duke of Kent’s Waltz.” We’ll start with a relaxing warm-up and do some fun counting and walking to the beat and then begin our dancing with the circle dance, “The Maltese.” After a break, we’ll start learning the figures for our Playford dances. Throughout, we’ll be enjoying live music provided by some of you—our kind fellow musicians.
I’ve always loved both music and dance. It is a joyous experience when dancers and musicians come together for a dance party. Some play and others dance but we all move together to one rhythm, one beat, in a grand team effort to create something intensely social and beautiful. I began dancing in baby ballet at two, danced in a Navajo sacred dance at four, began modern dance at six, and kept right on. I’ve studied ballet, modern, jazz, tap, Flamenco, yoga, Tai chi, ballroom, Aikido, contra dancing, English country dancing, Scottish highland dancing, Balfolk, and Irish ceili dancing. If people are dancing, I’ll jump in and try it!
Here are the links to three packets of music. You only need to print one packet depending on what you want to play. You can play or dance or do some of both. Remember, though, that we highly encourage everyone to get up and dance!
- Ornamented: Identical to last month’s packet. We won’t spend any time reviewing this but it’s there if you’d like to play the ornaments, alternate lines, or descants.
Click here to download the ornamental music. - SATB: The basic four-part version of each piece.
Click here to download the four part version of each piece. - Melodies: The melodies only, for people who want to focus on that.
Click here to download the melodies only.
Heather has performed with the Los Grillos Ensemble for the past two decades, singing, acting and playing various early instruments.
The Los Grillos “The Crickets” Renaissance Consort revels in performing music from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. The group’s vocal music includes classic English madrigals, French chansons, Spanish canciones, and, if you listen closely, you might even hear a catch or two.
Instrumental and mixed pieces are performed on a wide variety of reproduction instruments including the familiar recorder; the funny curled crumhorn; the predecessor of the bassoon called the dulcian; the singing cornetto, an odd hybrid of recorder and trumpet; the sackbut, clearly recognizable as the early trombone; the cornamuse, a straightened cousin of the crumhorn; the compact but surprisingly low-pitched racket; the beautiful harp; and a variety of percussion. This extensive repertoire of authentic period music is full of color and excitement!
Portland Recorder Society 