The Lochac Dance List

Note that this list changes fairly rapidly from time to time, as people learn new dances and forget old ones. I spent a bit of time bringing this up to date for this edition of the dance book, but it will no doubt be out of date again within a year or two.

Also, the list tends to vary markedly from place to place, and may also vary within different dance groups. For example, the dances done at a college dance practice on a weeknight may be quite different to dances that are done by a more serious dance group who meet on a weekend. At the time of writing this, there are “advanced” dance groups in Politarchopolis, Rowany, and a few other places that probably do different dances than the rest of the group around them – and when the dancers from these groups predominate at a ball, the playlist may look very different.

Sheet music

To help people find sheet music for these dances, I have included some codes in the text to say where you will find it, as follows:

Codes (for where you'll find the sheet music):

Ph -- Phaedria's book -- contact me if you don't have a copy. Most things are in it. This is the enormous dance music book that came across from Pennsic one year via John & Gabrielle.

D -- I have an arrangement in parts (not necessarily my own, but free for use in the SCA).

D1 -- I have music in single part only.

DL -- I have a lute arrangement only which could be broken into multiple parts.

K – Katrina Hunt has an arrangement (Mistress Mathilde, from Politarchopolis).

DY – David Yardley has an arrangement (Geoffrey of Exeter, from Rowany).

A -- Adina and/or Adrienne have arrangements and/or single part.

Notes from Adina about dance and music in Stormhold

The most important Weird Thing about Stormhold live music is that we often play in a different key from any of the written sources. I have a collection of melody lines in the keys usually played here, if anyone really cares. This is all because years ago, when the Broken Consort was first getting together, some people had wind instruments that were made in one key and hard to play accidentals on. These days we're more flexible, but since most our musicians also dance, Adrienne is often the only non-percussion muso, and plays the tunes in the keys she's used to, unless something else is sorted out. Any visitors who want to play for dancing will be loved and cuddled and given lots to drink, but should probably have a word to Mistress Adrienne to figure out what and how and which music etc. She's not on e-mail but I'll pass on any messages.

Basically, this is the stuff that is just about 100% likely to be danced at just about any event where there is dancing in most or all groups.

Arbeau's Dances

The cut bransles:

• Cassandra, Ph

• Pinagay, Ph

• Charlotte, Ph

• LaGuerre, Ph (Bransle War)

• Aridan, Ph

(played and danced as a set in that order).

• Known World Pavanne (Belle Qui), Ph (Carolingian Pavane)

• Galliard, DY

Any early galliard music should do. Beware of the late 16th / early 17th C galliards because they often weren't written for dancing to!

• Basse Danse Jouyessance vous Donnerai, DY

Can't vouch for the repeats on this one -- the whole thing should be 80 bars long.

• Tourdion, DY

Again, any galliard music should do.

Stormhold does galliards by themselves sometimes; again any old galliard music can do, and there are several bits in Phaedria.

• Official Bransle (Officers Bransle), Ph

15^th C Italian

• Petit Vriens, aka “The Duck Dance”, K

Allemandes

• Black Allemande, Ph, D

English Country Dances

Note: I'm still working through the repeats on these, but most of the ones out of Phaedria's book have to be played three times.

• Gathering Peascods, Ph

• Newcastle, Ph

• Jenny Plucks Pears, Ph

• Merry Merry Milkmaids, DY

• Rufty, Tufty

SCA Inventions

• Saltarello la Regina

These are the dances you'd see at a ball, where you'd get people wanting the more esoteric stuff.

Arbeau's Dances

Mimed Bransles:

• Washerwomans, Ph, D

• Pease, Ph, D

• Shoes, Ph (Clog Bransle)

• Horses, Ph

These are danced as a set in that order.

• Hay Bransle, Ph (Bransle Hay)

• Torch Bransle, Ph

English Country Dance

• Hearts Ease, Ph, D

• Glory of the West, Ph

• Grimstock

• Goddesses

• Picking of Sticks, Ph

Note in most of Lochac this is danced to "Lavena". Stormhold dance it to the real Picking of Sticks music.

• Wherligig

There are also two different tunes for this, depending on where you go.

15^th C Italian

For most of these the reconstructions vary widely. Use Monica’s or Mustafa’s arrangements in preference, if you have one of Phaedria's or one from another source please check it with the dancers for the right number of bars and get the appropriate repeat markers put in.

• Anello, D

• Gelosia, K

• Rostiboli Gioioso, K

16^th C Italian

• Contentezza d'Amore, K, D

This is probably the most popular 16^th C Italian that we do, you'll see it pretty much everywhere.

• Ballo del Fiore, K, D

Play the first 8 bars once. Then repeat the next 8 bars 4 times for 2 dancers, 8 times for 4 dancers, 12 times for 8 dancers, etc.

• Il Canario (Lochac), DY

This is the 32 bar La Canarie -- play this 4 times.

• Conto dell'Orco, D, K

This one is taught around Rowany and Politarchopolis.

• Lo Spagnoletto (Negri), D, K

Don't use the version from Ph, it is for Caroso's dance which is quite different. Taught in Rowany and St Florians. Adina's group in Stormhold do a different reconstruction to the same music. This dance is getting more popular.

Here are things you'd get the occasional request for but aren't likely to see requested more than once in a blue moon. Also included are some dances done in parts of Lochac but not in other parts.

Arbeau's Dances

• Courante, Ph (Entree Courante)

• La Volta, Use any galliard music.

• Gavotte, ??

• Bouffons, Ph

Only done by the group in Rowany: Mador, Alarice, Etienne, Richard, Eloise, Marguerite. There is also a group in Wellington that does it.

English Country Dance

• Argeers, A

• Prince Rupert's March, A

• Stingo or the Oyle of Barly, A

• Grimstock, A

• Goddesses, Ph

You need to insert repeat bars halfway through the tune. Call one half A, the other half B, and play AABB ad infinitum.

Allemandes

• Queens Allemande, Ph, D

• Lorayne Allemande, Ph, D

• Madam Sosilla's Allemande, Ph, D

15^th C Burgundian Dances

These are all available in single part, some arrangements are on the way for most of them.

• Danse de Cleves, Ph

• Casuelle La Nouvelle, Ph

You can use "Falla Con Misuras" or “La Spagna” as the music for this, too.

Other (SCA) dances

• Nine Daies Wonder, D1

This was choreographed by Mistress Adrienne for 12th night, 1996. She also has the music.

• Red & White Allemande, K

The best bet is to ask someone in Politarchopolis about this dance – it's their “Baronial Dance”.

15^th C Italian

• Presoniera, D

Taught in Stormhold and once in Rowany. Used to be popular in St Florians for a bit.

• Pizochara, DC

Taught in Rowany and Aneala.

16^th C Italian

• Il Canario (Negri), DL

This is the 17 bar version -- play 42 times. Adina, Rachael and I are the only people who do this.

• La Nizzarda, DL

Once popular in Aneala, now only done by a few people.

• Contrapasso Nuovo (Caroso) from Nobilta, A, D

A small group of Stormholders know this and occasionally ask to do it again. This is different from the one in Il Ballarino. You can't easily work off the musical edition in Sutton because to choreograph the dance I rebarred the music into duple time (for good reasons honest).

This also got a few people doing it after Bal d'Argent in 2002 where it was one of the competition dances.

• Este Gonzaga (Caroso), A

In the Stormhold fascist dance repertoire.

• Bassa Honorata (Caroso), A

• Barriera (Caroso), A, From Il Ballarino.

• Fiamma d'Amore

This one is only really popular around Rowany.