Introduction to Period Danceby San Francisco Shakespeare Festival
Time: 55 minutes
Materials: Music for Gathering Peascods and speakers
Objective: -To introduce a part of the culture and context of Shakespeare’s England.
-To prepare students for the dances they may perform in a Shakespeare play.
-To teach students how to move in rhythm as part of a group.
Focus: Physically experiencing a cultural practice from Shakespeare’s time, that Elizabethan actors were required to perform regularly.
Description: Dances were traditionally performed after all Elizabethan plays, in part because the audience expected them and also as a way of reminding the audience that nothing they saw was real, that all the actors were alive and well. Everyone in the cast would be expected to perform in a final jig, including those whose characters had died during the course of the action.
But dancing wasn’t exclusively for performers! Everyone, noble to peasant, danced (as long as they weren’t puritans!). Court dances were more formal and sometimes a bit more stiff than country dances. There is a practical reason for this. The clothing worn by nobles was heavy and expensive. It was not practical for leaping around in. Often in these dances, men held the hands of their ladies. This was not just because they were gentleman, but also because the ladies’ dresses were heavy, their corsets tight and they needed help balancing!
The dance described in this lesson is a country dance and perfect for those of us who aren’t wearing 50 pounds of clothing. It’s called Gathering Peascods.
Step 1: Warm-Up (10 minutes)
These dances are very physical. Its important that students are warm so that they don’t hurt themselves during the dance.
- 2-3 minutes of physical activity like jumping jacks or running in place. Anything to get the heart pumping.
- Reach both hands to the sky, stretching along the sides of the body.
- Drop all the way over so that hands are skimming the floor. Sway side to side here, bending one knee and then the other to stretch the backs of the legs.
- With the feet wide, walk hands over to one leg and pull the chest towards that leg. Repeat on the other side.
- Bend the knees in a deep pile and place one hand on each knee. Turn to look over the right shoulder and then over the left shoulder.
- Slowly roll up to standing.
- Pick up the right leg and make a circle in the air with the right knee, then make a circle in the air with the right ankle and then with the right toes. Set the foot down first on the tips of the toes, then the ball of the foot, then set down the heel. Repeat other side.
- Stretch the right arm across the chest, making a bar with the left arm to pull the right arm into the chest. Repeat on the other side.
- Reach the right hand up towards the ceiling and then back behind the neck. Use the left hand to gently pull the right elbow towards center. Repeat on the other side.
- Add in your favorite yoga pose or runner’s stretch!
Step Two:Dance Gathering Peascods. (40 minutes)
Its much simpler than it looks!
Works best with groups of 12, but can be adapted to groups of 8 or even 6.
To begin 6 couples stand in a circle facing in. Gentleman start with the ladies on their right. If you have more girls than boys or vice versa, you can substitute A and B for ladies and gents.
Begin music!
All hold hands and chasse (step to the side, step together) for eight counts to the left, then turn around yourself to the left for four counts.
Repeat to the right.
Chorus of Circles:
Ladies step into the circle for four counts, grab hands and circle to the left for four counts and step back to their places for four counts.
Repeat with Gents.
Ladies step into the circle and clap and then step back to place in four counts.
Repeat with Gents.
Ladies step in to the center for four and circle around themselves for four to get back to place. (Showing off their best features as they go!)
Now Gents step in and clap for four counts.
Repeat with Ladies.
Gents step in to the center for four and circle around themselves for four to get back to place, facing their partner. (Flirting with the ladies as they go!)
Do-se-do (walking towards each other to pass right shoulders) and then back to place for eight counts.
All turn around themselves to the right for four counts.
Do-se-do passing left shoulders for eight counts.
All turn around themselves to the left for four counts.
Repeat Chorus of Circles:
Ladies step into the circle for four counts, grab hands and circle to the left for four counts and step back to their places for four counts.
Repeat with Gents.
Ladies step into the circle and clap and then step back to place in four counts.
Repeat with Gents.
Ladies step in to the center for four and circle around themselves for four to get back to place. (Showing off their best features as they go!)
Now Gents step in and clap for four counts.
Repeat with Ladies.
Gents step in to the center for four and circle around themselves for four to get back to place, facing their partner. (Flirting with the ladies as they go!)
Partners touch right hands and right elbows together (also called “arming”) and circle around their joined arms to the right for eight counts.
All turn around themselves to the right for four counts.
Arming to the left for eight counts.
All turn around themselves to the left for four counts.
Repeat Chorus of Circles:
Ladies step into the circle for four counts, grab hands and circle to the left for four counts and step back to their places for four counts.
Repeat with Gents.
Ladies step into the circle and clap and then step back to place in four counts.
Repeat with Gents.
Ladies step in to the center for four and circle around themselves for four to get back to place. (Showing off their best features as they go!)
Now Gents step in and clap for four counts.
Repeat with Ladies.
Gents step in to the center for four and circle around themselves for four to get back to place, facing their partner. (Flirting with the ladies as they go!)
Gentleman and Ladies Bow to each other.