Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Letter Codes of Choreography

Basse dance
Basse Dance

Letter codes for choreography were the earliest form of choreography. Effectively, a letter abbreviated a step or group of steps. Example 1:

Letter code Name (French, Italian, Spanish) Meaning
R révérence, riverenza, reverencia A bow and curtsy between dancing partners
s simple step Left foot forward, then right foot forward (face partner)
d (or de) double step (doble) Always an odd number, d means 3 paces forward, lightly (face partner): left (slight rise), right, left(slight rise) ; right (slight rise), left, right (slight rise).
Raising the body means rising on the toe with straightened knee, preceded by lowering of body by bending of the knee, all taking a half step, thus undulating (ondeggiare).
Thus "d" is three steps, one retarded. Thus for foot walk, they measure four beats, as follows.
foot1 = toe beside second foot: beat1
foot1 = first step: beat2
foot2 = second step:beat3
foot1 = third step: beat4
r (re or Z) reprise (desmarche, ripresa, represa) Always an odd number (stationary, oblique to partner)
b (9, or c) branle (or congé, continenza, continencia); note that this is the branle step, not the dance 2 Right foot (stationary, oblique to partner)

Feuillet - Positions of the Feet

Feuillet choreographic foot-positioning notation (above) was commonly employed to show the footwork that accompanied the measures used in "aphabetic codes".

A number of dances were common during the Renaissance that were described in letter code choreography during the Renaissance. Some of these dances (with many variations) include the following: 3, 4
  1. Basse (see image at top) (vs Haute)
  2. English Measure
  3. Branle (braule)
  4. Pavan
  5. Galliard
  6. La Volta
  7. Coranto (courante)
  8. Allemande
  9. Contra-danses
  10. Bassa et Alta (Spanish Basse)
  11. Canaries
  12. Spagnoletto
  13. Villanos
  14. Pavaniglia (Spanish Pavan)
  15. Hachas (Torch Dance)
  16. Passomezzo
  17. La Nizzarda
  18. Brando Alta Regina (Balletti)
  19. La Barriera
The "Basse" dance gets its name because the dancer's feet are not to leave the ground. The "Basse" dance is expected to be to be serene, gracious and undulating. "Haute" dance however, is the opposite, as it includes steps such as hops, leaps, high jumps, kicks, stamps, etc. (ie: dancer’s feet do leave the ground). As for nomenclature, Haute dancing (dancing high) includes "fioretti" (flourishes), "zopetti" (hops), "trabuchetti" (leaps), and "salti" (jumps).

A Basse dance was typically of the form:

R.ss.d.r.b

This is step tablature notation (our letter code choreography), where the letters have the abbreviated meanings in the above table. The Basse dance is accompanied by music. Musicians played pipe (flute) and tabour (drum). It is not clear exactly what is meant by this. Was a "flute" always a flute, or could it be a recorder, shawm, krumhorn, etc.? Would any of several kinds of drums be acceptable, or even a tamboureen? Note the image above: the muscians are plaing horns.

A measure is one bar of music.
A measure is classified as "Grande" if it contains "ddddd"; "medium" if it contains "ddd", and "small" if it contains "d'.
Also, a measure is "impefect" if it is missing "ss" after a sequence of "d's". If the "ss" appears after the "d's" the measure is said to be "perfect".
beginning: 16, 16 = 32 bars
middle: 16 bars
end: 16, 16 = 32 bars
Total: 80 bars
When there are 80 bars, the dance is called "regular", if there are more than 80 bars, the dance is called "irregular".
Tempo: 20 longs, long = 4 semibreves, thus 80 semibreves in each danse.
Now that terms have been defined, we may list commonly encountered Basse dances.

Basse Dance Variations

Filles à Marier: IV measures
R.b.ss.ddd.rrr.b
ss.d.rrr.b
ss.ddd.ss.rrr.b
ss.d.ss.rrr.b
Note: Measure 2 is "imperfect", as single steps "ss" are absent.
Measure 3 is "medium", measure 4 is "small".

Le Petite Rouen: IV measures
R.b.ss.ddddd.ss.rrr.b
ss.d.ss.rrr.b
ss.ddddd.ss.rrr.b
ss.ddd.ss.rrr.b
Note: Measure 3 is "perfect", as single steps "ss" are present.
Measure 1 is "grande".

Amours: II measures
R.b.ss.d.ss.rrr.b
ss.ddd.ss.rrr.b
Note: Measure 1 is "perfect".

La Gorrière: III measures
R.b.ss.ddd.rrr.b
ss.d.r.b
ss.ddd.rrr.b
Note: Measure 2 is "imperfect".

La Allemande: III measures
R.b.ss.ddd.ss.rrr.b
ss.d.ss.r.b
ss.ddd.r.b
Note: Measure 2 is "perfect", measure 3 is "imperfect".

La Brette: IV measures
R.b.ss.d.ss.r.b
ss.d.r.b
ss.ddd.r.b
ss.d.ss.r.b
Note: Measure 1 is "perfect, measure 2 is "imperfect", measure 3 is "imperfect", measure 4 is perfect. As every two measures mix both "perfect" with "imperfect", this Bace (alternate spelling) danse is "half perfect".

La Royne: IV measures
R.b.ss.ddd.r.b
ss.d.r.b
ss.ddd.r.b
ss.d.ss.r.b

Other variations of the Basse dance (called "pas de Brabant") have major in true Basse, minor in schiolta, Gioiosa, alta, saltarello, recoupe, where R is dropped, and hops are added.

Additional steps are described for the dances of Spain and Italy 5 as follows:
  1. Mezza volta (half-circle)
  2. volta tonda (complete circle)
  3. scambi (revolving turns)
  4. contrapassi (counterpaces)
  5. movimento or alzamento (elevation, high jumps)
  6. pizzighamenti (diminuitions)
  7. escambiamente (order)
  8. fantasmata or ombra phantasmatica 6 - step phrasing
  9. frappamento (an accidental 7 - a flourish or ornamental step)
  10. scorsa (an accidental 7 - rapid, gliding steps)
  11. cambiamento (an accidental 7 - forms of pirouette)

Feuillet Foot Positions (very small steps)
Feuillet Foot Positions: greater detail, very small steps

Using the distinction between left foot (symbolized by "l") and right foot (symbolized by "r"), (introduced by the Feuillet diagram above) the letter codes for dances are modified. Unfortunately, the reprise also uses "r", thus to distinguish between the reprise and the right foot, "r" will be used for the right foot. Other steps are introduced, symbolized as "d" (d in retreat), and "l.l" (a revolving reprise), and "t" (a sideways reprise). "La Spagna" is as follows:

La Spagna8
R.bb.ss.dddd.r.ss.dd.rr.ss.d.d.l.l.t.R
In greater precision:
R.l.r.l.r.r.l.r.l.l.r.r.l.l.r.r.l.l.r.r.l.l.r.r.l.r.l.r.r.i.i.r.r.l.l.r.l.r.i.r.l.r.l.r.l.l.l.l.r.r.l.l.t.R

A "pictorial" (as opposed to an alphabetic based) system of choreography existed during the Renaissance in Catelonia, c. 1490. This system is the Cervera system.

In fact, Thoinot Arbeau's "letter code" form of choreography evolved. In addition to using letters to specify steps: See: more about Arbeau's "letter code choreography".

Cervera
Cervera Catelonia Chorographic System

Misura (measure) was a technical term based upon "proportion", meaning aerial as well as terrestrial space around the dancer's body and on the dance floor. Proportion emphasized views of Classical philosophy such as that of Aristotle, that the mean, not extremes, were to be emphasized. Thus dance motion was not to be too fast, nor too slow, music not too loud nor too soft, etc. The full impact of avoiding extremes cannot be over-emphasized, as this was also the ideology of the aristocracy. Peasants or other low-class people, according to the aristocratic codes, could not avoid gross, crude extremes not only in behavior but in dance as well. Dance was a significant aspect of the aristocratic ideology. Thus the movement of the dancer was a language that identified class allegiance, and class sensitivities: aristocratic privilege was based on this language. "... a person's character was revealed by deportment and gestures..." and "The character of everyone is made known by the dance." The vocabulary of dance included such technical terminology as: 9
"Dance was an ordering of movements of the human body that was concordant with the proportioning of the music that accompanied it." Misura was based on proportions found in music (the harmony of the Pythagorean sect) that simultaneously applied to dance, courtly behavior, and to the universe itself. Thus there were four kinds of "misura": 9, 10
  1. bassadanza misura
  2. piva misura Harmonic ratio 1:2
  3. saltarello misura Harmonic ratio 2:3
  4. quaternaria misura Harmonic ratio 3:4
Misura and Harmony
Renaissance Dance, Misura, Harmony and the Ideology of Courtly Courtesy

Of course, the gestures found in dance were also related to the gestures found in the mute rhetoric of Cicero and Quintilian. These gestures included not only body motions, but facial expressions, hand and foot movement, manner of walking, dress costume. When Quintilian referred to variety of vocal tone in rhetoric, this was also extended to variety of dance steps. Alberti applied variety in color, number and arrangement of figures in paintings. Thus "maniera": "... picture of the movement of a gondola which, pushed by two oars over the little waves of a quiet sea, rises slowly and falls quickly." and maniera "... a rising and falling movement of the body...", the aristocrats detachment from expressing passions such as anger, never to express extremes. Dancers' motions were not to be extreme (like that of a peasant). 9

Following Cicero and Quintilian, and then the humanists, the dance masters also paid particular attention to the carriage of the head.
Thus Thoinot Arbeau, in his Orchesographie:
.
"But above all, learned men maintain that the dance is a kind of mute rhetoric [Rhetorique muette] through which the Orator can, by his movements, without uttering a single word, make himself understood and persuade spectators that he is spirited [gaillard] and worthy of being praised, loved and cherished. Is it not in your opinion a discourse that he profers for himself, with his own feet, in a demonstartive genre?" 11

It was important that those in the social elite carry themselves so that their head neither hung low on their chests, nor tilted up, with the chin in the air. It should be held level at all times, with young ladies especially remembering to keep their eyes, but not their heads, modestly lowered." Thus the aristocrat is his gestures. 9 An accurate description of courtier society may be found in "The Book of the Courtier", by Baldesar Castiglione. "... didactic literature on social behavior acted as a text of reference for all social acts." Indeed, "... dance was an ideological extension of civility." 12
1 "Choreo-Graphics: A Comparison of Dance Notation Systems from the Fifteenth Centrury to the Present", Ann Hutchinson Guest, Gordon and Breach, 1989, p. 1
2 "The Dancing Body in Renaissance Choreography (c. 1416-1589)", Mark Franko, Summa Publications, 1986, p. 58
3 "Dances of England and France from 1450 to 1600 with their Music and Authentic Manner of Performance", Mabel Dolmetsch, De Capo Press, New York, 1975
4 "Dances of Spain and Italy from 1400 to 1600", Mabel Dolmetsch, De Capo Press, New York, 1975
5 Ibid., p. 4 and p. 14
6 A fantasmata (literally a "... ghost, hag, hobgoblin, or sprite,..."), is a infinitesimal pause at the end of a step, then a resumption of movement in an incredibly light and airy manner.
"The Eloquent Body: Dance and Humanist Culture in Fifteenth-Century Italy", Jennifer Nevile, Indiana Univ. Press, 2004, p. 86
7 "Dances of Spain and Italy from 1400 to 1600", Mabel Dolmetsch, De Capo Press, New York, 1975, p. 14. Accidentals are called trascorse (scurrying steps)
8 Ibid., p. 20
9 "The Eloquent Body: Dance and Humanist Culture in Fifteenth-Century Italy", Jennifer Nevile, Indiana Univ. Press, 2004, pp. 78-88
10 Ibid., p. 88
11 "The Dancing Body in Renaissance Choreography", Mark Franko, Summa Publications, Birmingham, Alabama, 1986, p. 14
12 Ibid., p. 31. Certain gestures should be avoided in public like yawning, laughter, nasal excretions, expectorating, harsh eye expressions, twisting of the body, frowning, looking around. These gestures are a violation of a shared civil code, often discussed in "courtesy books". Such actions should never be reflected in dance. Castiglione's "sprezzatura" (carefully practiced nonchalance) are part of the civil code - specifically, how members of the aristocracy can distance themselves from those they view as being beneath them: act as though social class based behavioral errors had never taken place. Words are not measured by meaning, but are measured as vocal gestures, as this conversation reveals character and morals. This aristocratic social code was enacted in parallel in dance. Dance was composed of gestures (meaning was not important), and expressed social class at all times. pp. 52, 53, 74, 76.

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