The Dances of Shakespeare

Clear practical advice on how to perform a variety of authentic dance styles from the time of Shakespeare, accessible and well-organised for non-specialists to professionals to use in the production of Shakespearean plays.

First Published in 2005. Dances of Shakespeare gives a brief introduction to how to perform all of the dance styles featured in Shakespeare''s plays. Designed for the practicing director, actor, or choreographer, it gives clear instruction on how to perform popular dances of Shakespeare''s day, including masques, brawls, canaries, corantos, galliards, jigs, La Volta, pavans, morris dances, and roundels. Accompanied by clear illustrations, these instructions allow even the dance-challenged to quickly master enough technique to suit amateur, community, college, or semi-professional productions. Other useful features include a chronological listing of popular dances similar in spirit to those of Shakespeare''s days, designed for those staging Shakespeare''s work in periods other than as written, as well as an appendix list of the plays grouped by what is called for in the text: a dance, a masque, or a specific dance form. Dances of Shakespeare is a must have for all student directors and performers interested in staging Shakespeare''s works.