Baroque Dance: "Come All Ye Graces" & Sarabande

Members of La Belle Danse Baroque Dance Company Suzanne Paterson and Melissa Fink portray the graces in John Blow's 1683 opera "Venus & Adonis".

La Belle Danse is a Toronto-based baroque dance company. For more information:

http://www.labelledanse.com/

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Performing
• Arts
• baroque
• dance
• ballet
• belle
• danse
• 17th
• century
• Toronto
• Blow
• opera
• Venus
• Adonis
• entree
• graces

[Sundialonthejob]

Is the entire opera on DVD? I'm just getting into opera and I know very little at this point, but my favorite era in music is the Baroque so this would be where I will start to learn about opera.

[LaBelleDanse]

We only have archival video, nothing commercial available from us in its entirety.

You might try the "House of Opera" website. They have a number of complete baroque operas on DVD at low prices.

Good luck!

[actmyage9]

I stand corrected. I have a resource book that states that this dance "resembled" a procession in that there were two lines, which traveled forward and backward. It was similar to the Pavane in its proud movements danced in 4/4 time. Other definitions state that the sarabande is a spanish dance of south America with lively steps in 3/4 time.... Thanks for the post!

[LaBelleDanse]

You're welcome! Consider that dances often evolve into very different forms. The 16th century Spanish sarabande evolved from a wild Central American dance with castanets and lively music. In 17th century France it acquired a more stately character. Although our example comes from an Englishman (Purcell), he was certainly writing in the French style.

Similarly, consider the minuets of the French baroque compared to those of Beethoven. The name of the dance persists, but the character changes.

[actmyage9]

You have a dance in 3/4 time here. A Sarabande is procession like and is in 4/4 time.

[LaBelleDanse]

No, your information is incorrect.

The sarabande is a dance in triple metre. The second and third beats of each measure are often tied, giving the dance a distinctive rhythm of crotchets and minims in alternation.

[LaPrimavera2006]

Beautiful! Thank you for posting this

[vaughangarrick]

why do we insist on modernizing baroque operas (I'm talking to the French) when this kind of dancing is beautiful and hypnotic to watch?-it fits the music better than watching breakdance versions of Rameau or Handel etc

[hkweather]

It is amazing. Where can I learn Baroque Dances?

[Lonestarry]

How lovely they are - such beautiful dresses - so fluid the movements. I enjoyed watching this so very much. Thank you for posting.