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    or, a Michigan Wolverine in the Lands of the Dragon





    On Dancing in the SCA





    What is medieval dancing? If you've seen the movie Braveheart and remember the dancing at the wedding early in the movie; or if you've watched Shakespeare in Love and seen the dance at the deLesseps in which Will Shakespare first meets Viola; then you've seen medieval dancing. What we do are the dances done by people of the middle ages, by commoners or nobles; by Italians, French, English, and many other place besides; the dances recorded in or reconstructed from manuscripts and collections. This page has a substantial compilation of information on the net about medieval dance; this page instead focuses on a less academic and more personal perspective on medieval dancing.



    As told elsehwere, it was medieval dance, through the kind invitation of my close friend Morwen, that was my first real taste of the world of medieval recreation; and it was to the dance group, under the mischevious guidance of Lady Alina of Foxwood and the merry dancers of the Bedlam medieval dance company of Cynnabar that I learned the steps. The dance community here in the Barony of Cynnabar is extremely active and popular, with well-attended weekly practices on Wednesdays and journeys to dance at events far and wide.

    Cynnabar's Terpsichore is an all-day dance event which brings in dancers from across the Knowne World, and for which over the years the dancer of Cynnabar have compiled one of the more comprehensive available references to medieval dances (downlaadable here). We dance at demonstrations for elementary school kids at libraries, at great events of the Kingdom, at balls and revels and dance the night away at the great tournaments. But more importantly, it is the welcoming, friendly, beginners-always-welcome dancers of Cynnabar -- some of whom have been pursuing the art for more than a decade -- that makes it such an easy thing to pick up -- and enjoy.


    With practices every week with friendly experienced folks, its easy to learn the dances before the grand dance events; where dozens or even nearly a hundred dancers move across the floor, the swirl of capes and skirts whirling in time with music from a dozen lands. Medieval dance is perhaps more social than other, more personal forms of dance, with it's sets of four and eight and even progressions with long, interlacing lines of couples. From the stately to the gleefully near-anarchic; from the beautifully choreographed steps of the Italian courts to the relaxed hustle-bustle of the English countryside, there's something for everyone and variety enough for anyone. It's a great workout, and it's a marvelous bit of fun. :-)


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All materials copyright Jeffrey Huo, 2005
jeffshuo@alumni.northwestern.edu