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=**Dances of Shakespeare’s Time **= ====During Shakespeare’s time, dancing had a much more significance in people’s live than it does now. From common man to royalty, the art of dancing was expected of everyone (Dobson). In Queen Elizabeth’s court, dancing was an essential accomplishment and even in her old age though she danced less she loved to encourage others to do so (Brissenden). ==== ====Naturally with dance so widely spread among the social class, it would also take place in an equally wide range of events. Whether to celebrate sheep-shearing or court masque, dancing was a popular pastime during the Renaissance (Olsen). Not only were they enjoyable, but they were considered ordinary exercise. The churches in particular along with a minority of people were deeply opposed to the activity, claiming that the touching of dance partners was inappropriate (Brissenden). ====

Dance and Shakespeare
====Many plays of the time included references to dance to provide imagery or provoke certain moods for the audience. (Dobson) Country and court dances would also be a part of the narration itself, again to enhance the atmosphere of the scene (Brissenden). For example in the change of mindset of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet or in the physical attraction between two characters as executed between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in Henry VIII. Shakespeare often introduced it in a way that intertwined with the plot (Dobson). ==== ====Shakespeare often included dance in his depictions of the supernatural, as in how A Midsummer Night’s Dream showcased happy fairies. Comedies were often frequently portrayed with dances at the end to emphasize the happy ending. Dancing would also take place during the music throughout the intervals between acts (Dobson). ====

Etiquette
====Ladies or men were allowed to ask one another to dance, and the asked person was required to not only accept, but to reciprocate and dance with him or her the next time they were available. Ladies were approach the man they wanted to dance with, looking directly at him (to avoid confusion about whom she was asking). The man would rise; she would curtsy, then immediately look away as to repel any inclination that the two were having a romantic conversation, while the man took off his gloves, and anything else (such as his cloak or a sword) in case the dance was a fast one. Women indicated their lack of interest in dancing by remaining veiled. Men however, had no way of displaying their disinterest. Men stood on the left, ladies on the right (Olsen). ====

Fast
During the early seventeenth century, many country dances were integrated into court dances and were fast in the way that they incorporated gliding as in the branle, or hopping as seen in the courante (coranto). Some such as the danse des canaries (canary) were courtship dances that involved skipping, stamping, and even pirouettes and capers (Olsen). ====The galliard was very popular and lasted a long time. It often used a livelier version of the slow pavane’s music. It was much more dramatic and flirtatious (Olsen). This particular dance also gave men a chance to show off their physicality with leaps, and complicated footwork. ==== ====The volta went through a period of aggressive popularity and was even danced by Queen Elizabeth during her reign. There was much more physical contact in the way that the women were lifted by their partners than usual and most likely fell out of favor due to its immodesty and physical difficulty (Brissenden). ====

Working Class
====Peasant dances had their fair share of appearances in Shakespeare’s plays including The Tempest and Love’s Labours Lost. Characters were often portrayed and elaborate costumes were used for an extra element of fun, especially during the Morris dance. Peasant dances were done during many holidays including May Day, Whitsuntide, Shrovetide, Christmas, and Twelfth Night (Olsen). ====

Slow
====In the sixteenth and seventeenth century, there were many slow dances available. The basic dance had simple combinations of steps forward and steps back. Variation integrated sideways steps, couples moving forward only (processional), and couples facing each other (a set dance). Slow dances included the basse danse, the tourdin (tordion), the passepied, the tarantella, and the almaine. The most popular however, for their smoothness and strutting, were the pavan (pavane) and the measure. ====

====<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Pavan: The man took off his cape and executed a few flourishes in a way that mimicked a male peacock’s tail. The pavan was performed during ceremonies, processions, pageants, and brides going to the church, but it fell completely out of favor by 1636. ==== ====<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Measure: This dance has made an appearance in many of Shakespeare’s plays. It had a poetic rhythm though during the reign of Charles I it disappeared (Olsen). ====

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Works Cited

 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Dobson, Michael, Stanley Wells. The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Olsen, Kirsten. "Dance." All Things Shakespeare: An Encyclopedia of Shakespeare's World. 2002
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Brissenden, Alan. Shalespeare and the Dance. Princeton Book Company Publishers, 2001
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">gozala00. "Coronation Banquet--Elizabeth Dance".YouTube. May 16,2007. []
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">gozala00. "The Dance-Shakespeare in love". Youtube. April 5, 2001. []