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Music and Dance

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Music and Dance

The Court Dance in the Middle Ages and Renaissance kept developing into more stylized

modes. The court dances served different purposes depending on the sort of people who

performed. Some of the oldest court dances were the volta which was popular at Queen

Elizabeth’s court in the 16th century and minuet which was a favorite for many in the 18th century

(F. David & Lee A, 2018). A male dance hoists a female dancer in the air frequently. The minuet

was performed by a group of four dancers at a time.

The Renaissance marked a time of art and music among other amazing changes in other

fields. Court dances were dances of the upper classes in the social structures. The main dancers

were Kings, Queens, Dukes, and Duchesses. They would involve either simple dances performed

by several people in circles and lines, or complex dances that required instructors and practice.

They are accompanied with music (F. David & Lee A, 2018). Often the dance master would be a

musician for the dances performed.

The dances are still popular up to date even though they exist under different guises.

They include Allemande, Renaissance Faires, Contredanse, and India’s Court dances like the

Kathak. We will focus on one example of the court dance, the Blue Danube. Michael (2008)

presents a dance of Waltz to the Blue Danube showing a phenomenal experience the dancers

enjoy on the floor of the court. The artist acknowledges that the beauty of the music is

undeniable and timeless (Michael, 2008). Soon professional dancers took up and appeared at

significant court functions.

Court dances were special dances that required training for display and entertainment.

Other forms developed from The Court Dance like the Ballet which is taught as a commercial

and art activity.

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References

F. David, M., & Lee A, J. (2018). The humanities through the arts (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill

Education.

Mic Michael. (2008). Famous Waltz Blue Danube Strauss - Silvester 2008. Retrieved February

7, 2023, from https://youtu.be/LmsIGxYHelQ.