Choreographic Structure in Dances by Dezais Ken Pierce

Corrected Abstract1 Deshayes who danced at the Opéra in 1690. But it’s dif- This workshop will explore choreographic devices that ficult to believe Campardon’s conflation of the 1690 De- Etienne-Joseph´ Dezais (often referred to as Jacques De- shayes with an actor (singer) in 1713, or with the dancer zais) used in his dances: step vocabulary, phrase struc- or dancers named Dezais or Deshayes who danced at 5 ture, and use of repeated figures or instances of question the Opéra in 1720–1722. Perhaps one of these in- and answer. Material will range from very simple, as dividuals was related to, or identical with, the chore- in contredanses, to somewhat complex baroque dance ographer Etienne-Joseph´ Dezais, but so far there’s no 6 steps, as in some of Dezais’s later ballroom dances. The clear evidence of such a connection. Taubert describes emphasis will be not on the correct execution of the steps Dezais as a “master” at the “world renowned” Académie themselves, but rather on the manner in which Dezais [Royale] de Dance, but makes no mention of him as a 7 arranged steps in choreographic sequences, and how he performer. arranged those sequences in space and in relation to the Scope of workshop music. Because of the limited time available, I will say little Workshop participants should wear comfortable about Dezais’s contredanses, and will focus instead on clothing and soft-soled shoes. his six dances for a single couple. Introduction Briefly: Table 1 lists the four contredanses from the After Feuillet’s death in 1710, his privilege to pub- 1712 collection, with notes about Dezais’s use of re- lish notated dances was purchased by Etienne-Joseph´ peated sequences within the dance figures. Note the use Dezais.2 Dezais continued Feuillet’s practice of pub- in la Gentilly of a double question and answer—that is, lishing annual collections of ballroom dances. He a short sequence in which the dancers simultaneously also published, in 1712, a “second” collection of con- do different steps and then switch, each doing what the tredanses for longways sets, Feuillet’s 1706 collection other has just done. The two contredanses from the an- having been the first. In 1725 he published another col- nual collection (Table 2) both have verse-chorus struc- lection of contredanses for fixed sets of four, six, or eight ture, like the 1705 dance le Cotillon.8 So do some of the dancers.3 dances in the 1725 collection. Among the dances Dezais published are some that Generalities, and discussion of tables he himself choreographed: four in the 1712 contredanse Tables 2 summarizes some of the structural aspects of collection (Table 1), one in each of the annual collec- Dezais’s dances from the annual collections. Symbols in tions during the period 1712–1719, for a total of eight column four indicate use of repeated figures, instances (Table 2), and nine the 1725 collection (Table 3). This of question and answer, and the number of measures in small sample of dances shows Dezais to have been an which both dancers face toward the presence (that is, accomplished and inventive choreographer, whether in the front of the dancing space). In four out of the six a straightforward contredanse or in a sometimes sur- duos, Dezais uses step-sequence repeats or near-repeats prisingly varied couple dance. Though all of Dezais’s that corresond to musical repeats. Often they occur with dances are by definition ballroom dances, they include modified spatial patterns, as will be seen in the exam- sections that are close in character to theatrical dances. ples, below. Two of the dances include at least one in- (Unlike Feuillet, Dezais offered no theatrical choreogra- stance of question and answer. In addition to these, la phies to the public.) Corsini might be said to begin with a sort of extended Who was Dezais? double question and answer, with unison interspersed Many authors give Dezais’s first name as Jacques. There (see Example 8). was indeed a dancer named Jacques Deshayes, who Unlike Balon, whose choreographies Dezais also brought a complaint in 1680 because he had a cham- published (see Table 4), Dezais’s dances include no ber pot emptied on his head.4 Perhaps it was this same choreographic rondeaus, in which the same movement Pierce

sequence is used as a refrain corresponding to a musi- gle measure directed toward the presence, la Chamberi´ cal refrain.9 Two of Dezais’s dances are set to musical with three measures facing the presence, and le Menuet rondeaus, but for neither of them does he take Balon’s d’Espagne with two. La Ribeyra begins with a six- approach. In la Denain, a rondeau that also involves me- measure phrase that is mostly directed toward the pres- ter changes, Dezais uses repeated step sequences in the ence, ending with the dancers facing one another. Only triple-meter couplets rather than in the duple-meter re- in la Corsini do the dancers face the presence repeatedly frain. In le Menuet d’Espagne, the overall menuet struc- and for more than a couple of measures. ture precludes a choreographic rondeau; Dezais instead The number of measures spent facing the presence uses symmetrical right- and left-hand figures in the mid- is related to the use of symmetry in the dance, since the dle of the dance, corresponding to parallel halves of the dancers cannot both face the presence during an axial- refrain (see Table 5). symmetric figure. It is not difficult to find a ballroom As Table 5 shows, most of Dezais’s duos—the ex- duo in which the dancers face the presence only briefly ception is la Corsini—follow a basic overall formula, at the beginning of the dance and in the final figure. (Ex- beginning in mirror symmetry, then changing to axial amples include Pécour’s la Forlana and l’Allemande.)11 symmetry, and remaining so until the final figure of But Dezais does seem to emphasize the connection be- the dance in which the dancers head upstage for clos- tween the dancers more than their connection with the ing bows. This basic formula is typical for baroque presence. This is in contrast to Balon, who in his dances dances, and within this formula there’s room for con- from the same period generally had the dancers facing siderable variety in the relative lengths of sections and the presence much more often.12 the transitions between them. A choreographer may Let us turn now to examples of Dezais’s choreo- break up an axial-symmetric section with a stretch of graphic approach. mirror or parallel (translational) symmetry, or with an Examples asymmetrical passage; or he or she may introduce one or more question-and-answer sequences. The choreog- Example 1: l’Asturienne, first figure (see Figure 1). rapher must also provide transitions from one type of The spatial pattern of this figure is very similar to symmetry to another.10 the first figure of la Denain (see Table 5), and to the It seems that Dezais became more assured and ad- opening figure of Balon’s la Sylvie, another dance pub- venturous from year to year, at least as regards transi- lished by Dezais for 1712. Dezais employs sequences tions and other choreographic devices. Table 5 shows similar to the first half of this figure in la Denain (fi- a progression: discreet transitions between mirror and nal figure) and la Corsini (third figure). The frequency axial symmetry in l’Asturienne, each via an assemblé and distribution of jumps in this figure is worth noticing: into first position; more complex transitions, as in jumps occur in alternate measures, beginning with the la Chamberi´ , in which the dancers change symmetry first. Though the pattern of measures with and without while changing places; uses of question-and-answer se- jumps varies somewhat during the dance, the frequency quences, first appearing in la Chamberi´ ; extended use of jumps from figure to figure does not. In l’Asturienne, of a repeated figure, with endings varied, in la Ribeyra; roughly half the measures include jumps. and, finally, the unusual first two figures of la Corsini, Notice that in the opening figure of la Denain there which include Dezais’s first extended use of parallel is also an alternation of measures with and without symmetry. jumps, but the pattern is shifted by a measure: the With the notable exception of la Corsini, Dezais’s jumps occur in even- rather than odd-numbered mea- dances include only brief moments in which both sures. (The pattern does not continue beyond the first dancers face the presence (see Table 2). Here, too, there figure.) appears to be a progression. In l’Asturienne, the dancers Example 2: l’Asturienne, fifth and sixth figures (see face one another at the very beginning of the dance, Figure 2). and don’t both face the presence except in passing un- These two figures offer an instructive example of til the start of the final figure, during a contretemps in Dezais’s use of a repeated step sequence that corre- which their attention will probably be toward one an- sponds to a musical repeat. The steps in the sixth figure other rather than forward. La Denain begins with a sin- are those of the fifth, on the other foot, but Dezais has Pierce

modified the spatial pattern so that the dancers travel far- added,13 so that the dancers are back-to-back for the ther around one another in the sixth figure, not only ex- contretemp in the penultimate measure, before turning changing places but also rotating the entire figure from to face the presence for the concluding bows. a vertical to a horizontal axis. As we’ll see (Example 4), The turning pas de bourrée just mentioned is some- he uses a similar device in la Denain. what unusual for a ballroom dance. It is similar to The alternation of measures with and without jumps steps found in la Mariee´ , which originated as a theatre in these two figures follows the pattern established in the dance,14 and reminiscent of steps found in theatrical so- first figure, discussed in Example 1. los.15 It is not the only hint of theatrical influence in Example 3: la Denain, third figure (see Figure 3). Dezais’s dances, or at least of Dezais’s willingness to This figure offers another example of Dezais’s use stretch beyond basic ballroom dance vocabulary. La De- of a repeated step sequence, this time a very simple se- nain also includes a somewhat unusual turning pas de quence of two pas graves and two pas de bourrée (with bourrée (fourth figure, penultimate measure), and both the repeat modified to pas de bourrée, coupé). The la Ribeyra (third and fourth figures) and la Corsini (third sequence begins on the same foot each time, and the and fourth figures) include steps that would feel at home path continues uninterrupted, just as the music contin- in a shepherd or peasant dance for the stage. ues without internal repeats. This simple eight-measure Example 6: la Ribeyra, first two figures (see Figure 5). figure is striking for the time and space it allows the For the first two figures of la Ribeyra, Dezais em- dancers as they curve away from one another before re- ploys the same basic six-measure step sequence, re- turning to their places. peated with modifications and varied endings for a to- Example 4: la Denain, fifth figure (see Figure 3). tal of four times (twenty-four measures). This structure Dezais uses a repeated step sequence for the second of repeats corresponds to the musical structure: twice couplet of the music, just as he does for the first cou- through a twelve-bar strain with parallel halves. The se- plet (the third figure, discussed in Example 3). For the quence itself, and the variations, are full of angles and repeat on the other foot, he adds ninety degree rotation turns, and show Dezais’s confident use of both. The to the sequence, as in the sixth figure of l’Asturienne variations serve to alter and add interest to the spatial (Example 2). The shoulder shading in the first two mea- patterns: the dancers begin the first six measures angled sures adds interest to this sequence, and builds nicely slightly away from on another; the next six, facing one to the turn that begins the back-to-back contretemps in another across stage; the next six, diagonally opposite the third measure before the dancers return to face one one another, facing across stage; and the final six, back another and repeat the sequence on the other foot. to back in the center of the space, from which arrange- ment they quickly circle to face one another and then Example 5: la Chamberi´ , final figure (see Figure 4). eventually back away, ending separated on the diagonal. The first eight measures of this figure offer another example of Dezais’s skillful use of turning steps and Example 7: la Ribeyra, final two figures (see Figure 6). varied rhythms. The dancers begin in axial symmetry, In the remaining two figures of la Ribeyra (thirteen turning away from one another and crossing back to measures each), Dezais shifts to through-composed se- back. They then face one another and continue along quences. He does not revisit the turns and angles of their paths, completing the exchange of places with an the first part of the dance, opting in the third figure of assembléinto first position. The rest following this as- the dance for curving trajectories in which the dancers sembléprovides a satisfying moment of stillness, the only once turn their backs on one another, and in the moreso since the music is in triple meter. fourth figure for a delightful six-measure question-and- Dezais might have used this first position to effect answer sequence of alternating jumps, followed by yet the transition from axial to mirror symmetry, but he more curving paths into final bows. doesn’t; instead, he uses the sequence from the fifth fig- Example 8: la Corsini, first two figures (see Figure 7) ure of la Denain (Example 4), slightly modified. The The opening figures of la Corsini are unusual not final four measures begin with a familiar pas de sis- only in the context of Dezais’s other dances, but also in sone picking up the front foot and followed by a pas the context of baroque dance generally. Dezais begins de bourrée; but this time the pas de bourrée has turns with one dancer going around another (four measures). Pierce

This device is found occasionally in other dances—la he rejected, and if so how many? To what extent did he Forlana offers one example—but not at the very begin- keep prior years’ dances in mind, and consciously try to ning of a ballroom dance. For the remaining four mea- vary the dances from year to year? sures of the first figure, the dancers move in parallel, We may also ask, Why did Dezais stop publish- both of them on the same foot and both facing the pres- ing his own ballroom duos? Probably it had something ence. Again, a four-measure sequence of parallel sym- to do with the marketplace, and something to do with metry is not unheard of—there’s one in la Mariee´ —but Pécour. In 1720, Dezais published his first collection of this sequence in conjunction with the first four measures dances by Pécour, in addition to a collection of dances makes for a highly atypical figure. And the whole fig- by Balon. As Francine Lancelot puts it, “Pécour won”.16 ure repeats: the second figure of the dance is a modi- That may be it; though it may also be that Pécour finally fied repeat of the first figure, on the other foot and with gave in to Dezais’s appeals for dances to publish. roles reversed, and with the dancers travelling backward Certainly, with his sequence of ballroom duos dur- rather than forward for the final two measures. ing the years 1712–1719, Dezais showed himself an As with la Ribeyra, the second part of la Corsini is inventive and attentive choreographer. We should be structurally very different from the first part, consisting grateful that he offered the public his dances during of through-composed sequences corresponding to the those years. through-composed second strain (repeated) of the music.

Conclusion We have looked at samples of Dezais’s choreography for ballroom duos, noticing especially his use of repeated step sequences and looking at ways in which he varied material that he repeated. In Examples 2 and 4, we saw how he added ninety degrees of rotation to the repeat, so that the dancers end on a different axis from where they began. In Example 7, we saw a clever series of variations on a six-bar sequence, allowing the dancers to re- late to one another in a variety of orientations: facing, back-to-back, and on the diagonal. Example 1 showed a sequence and a floor pattern that reappeared, with varia- tion, in other dances. We saw Dezais’s adventurous use of space accompanying a simple step sequence (Exam- ple 3), and his witty use of question and answer (Ex- ample 7). Some examples (Examples 4 and 8, among others) showed his use of turns and shoulder shading to add interest to a figure. And we saw a dance opening (Example 8) unlike anything Dezais had done before. The examples we’ve examined, in conjunction with structural elements shown in the tables, offer evidence of Dezais becoming more assured as a choreographer, and more adventurous, as the years progressed. But with such a small sample of dances, and without knowing more about Dezais’s approach to choreography over the years, it’s difficult to know what the evidence actually shows. It would be interesting to know how and why Dezais chose these dances for publication. How much time did he spend creating them? Were there others that Pierce

Table 1: Contredanses by Dezais published in “II. Recueil de Nouvelles Contredanses ” (Paris, 1712)

Title Musicmeterandstructure Notesondancestructure laCribelée dupleAAB(Awithparallelhalves) EachAisafour-measure figure, repeated. laGentilly duple[branle]AABB SecondBbeginswithdoublequestion and answer (pas de rigaudon/balancé). laVictoire dupleAABB EachAisthesametwofigures(changeplaces; balancé, pas de rigaudon), done first with partner and then with neighbor. First half of each B is the same figure (chassés to the side and back), done on opposite foot and with different facing. laTriomphante 6/4AABB Through-composed.

Table 2: Ballroom dances by Dezais from the “Annual Collections”

Title (LMC #) Yeara Dance type or Structural Music structure description elementsb l’Asturienne(1240) 1712 rigaudon R;p1 AABBAABB laDenain(2460) 1713 duple,triple p1 rondeau:AABACA (A duple; B,C triple) laChambéri(2040) 1714 triple,duple QA;p3 AABCBC (A,C triple; B duple) leMenuetd’Espagne(5720) 1715 menuet R;p2 rondeau:ABACA le Cotillon des Fêtes de Thalie 1716 duple (R)c AABB × 7; second half of (contredanse—no LMC #) B=A laRibeyra(7200) 1717 duple[branle] R,QA;p4 AABB laCorsini(2260) 1718 bourée R;p13 AABB l’Italiene(contredanse—noLMC#) 1719 6/8 (R)c AABB × 3

aThat is, year for which the dances were intended. Some may have been published at the end of the preceding year. La Chamb´eri and la Corsini are known only from manuscript copies. bR = step-sequence repeats or near-repeats corresponding to musical repeats; QA = question and answer; pn = number of measures, not including ﬁnal bows, during which both dancers in a duo face the presence, possibly with shoulder shading. c Such repeats are inherent to the structure of contredanses.

Table 3: Contredanses by Dezais published in “Premier livre de contre-dances . . . ” (1725)a

Title (number of dancers) Cotillon Hongroise (4) Cotillon de Surennae (8) L’Esprit Follet (8) L’Inconstante(4) LaBlonde(4) L’Ecossaise(6:2W,4M) L’Infante(8) LaBrunne(4) LaCarignan(4)b

aFor further information on these dances, see Milo Momm, “Jacques Dezais’ Premier livre de Contre-Dances 1726” in Uwe Schlottermüller, Howard Weiner, and Maria Richter (eds.), Vom Schäferidyll zur Revolution: Europäische Tanzkultur im 18. Jahrhundert, proceedings of the 2nd Rothenfels Dance Symposium (Freiburg: fa-gisis, 2008), 147–173. bThe menuet “La Carignan”, by Dezais, is described in words in Dupré, Methode pour apprendre de soi-mesme la choregra- phie. . . (Paris, 1757). Pierce

Table 4: Extant dances by Balon (adapted and updated from Table 1 of: Ken Pierce, “Choreographic Structure in the Dances of Claude Balon”, in Proceedings Society of Dance History Scholars (2001), pp. 101–104.)

Dance Musical type, time signature, Includes step- Includes any Year (LMC #; FL #) and structure sequence repeats question-and- (pr = “petite reprise”) corresponding to answer or musical repeats? canon?

Entrée (3000, Ms05.1/04) [loure] (6/4): AABACpr no — Menuet (5700, Ms17.1/36) m teune :)3( A ABB no — Gigue (—, Ms06.1) gigue (6/4): AABCCpr no — The Mattelott (5440, Ms13.1/06) [marche] (6/8): AAB no no la Gaillarde (4840, Ms17.1/35) gaillarde (C): AABB x 2 no yes Paspíe Príncesa (6460, Ms19.1/04) passepied (3/8): AABB x 4 yes no la Silvie (8060, 1712.1/01) gravement (3): AA yes yes 1712 passepied (6/8): B bourrée (C): C passepied (6/8): B bourrée (C): C la Dombe (2500, 1712.1/02) courante ([3/2]): AA yes no 1712 [bourrée] (2): B [passepied] (3/8): C [bourrée] (2): B [passepied] (3/8): C la Melanie (5480, 1713.1/01) (3): AABACA yes yes 1713 (2): DDEE la Gavotte de Seaux (4880, Ms08.1/01) gavotte (2): AABACAA yes no 1714 Rigaudon (7360, Ms08.1/02) rigaudon (2): AABBCCD yes* yes 1714 la Transilvanie (8140, 1715.1/01) [branle] (2): AABACAA yes no 1715 la Gavotte du Roi (4920, 1716.1/01) gavotte (2): AABprBpr yes** yes 1716 la Bouree Nouvelle (1540, 1716.1/02) bourrée (2): AABBCCDD no yes 1716 la Clermont (2100, 1717.1/01) (6/8): ABACADDEE17 yes yes 1717 la de Bergue (2440, 1717.1/02) [bourrée] (2): AABB no yes?*** 1717 la Brissac (1640, Ms11.1/01) [branle] (2): AABACAA yes yes 1718 la Czarienne (2420, Ms11.1/02) lentement (3): ABA yes yes 1718 rigaudon (2): CD la Montpensier (6100, 1718.2/01) gavotte (2): AABB no yes 1719 2e gavotte (2): CCDD la Lorraine (5220, 1718.2/02) rigaudon (2): AABB yes yes 1719 la Poitevine (6860, 1720.1/01) :)4/6( A ABACA sey sey 1720 la Modene (6060, 1720.1/02) (3): AA yes**** no 1720 bourrée (2) B passepied ([6/8]) C bourrée (2) B passepied ([6/8]) C la Villeroy (8400, 1722.1/03) :)2( A ABB sey sey 1722 la Bouflers (1440, 1722.1/04) gavotte (C): AABCCDDA yes yes 1722

*But not much: first half of A = first half of A'. **The same two-measure step throughout. ***Both dancers have a rest at the same measure—presumably a copying error. ****But there is a problem with repeats as written: the dancers cannot get to the correct positions. Pierce

Table 5: Choreographic and musical structure in Dezais’s ballroom duosa

l’Asturienne

l’Asturienne p. 2 l’Asturienne p. 3 l’Asturienne p. 4 l’Asturienne p. 5 l’Asturienne p. 6 l’Asturienne p. 7 l’Asturienne p. 8

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ## 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙. ## 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙. ## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙. ## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙. ## 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙. ## 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙. ## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙. ## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙. & Rigaudon & & œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ & & & œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ l’Asturienne par Mr. Dezais

AABBAABB duple

first position first position

La Denain

La Denain p. 2 La Denain p. 3 La Denain p. 4 La Denain p. 5 La Denain p. 6 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # 2 ˙ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ w # 2 ˙ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ w # 3 œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ œ j # 2 ˙ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ w # 3 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙ œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙. # 2 ˙ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ w & # J J & # J J & # J J J œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ. œ ˙. & # J J & # J J J J J & # J J La Denain par Mr. Dezais

la Bourée

A AB AC A duple triple [drop outside hands] pas grave|coupé first coupé|pas de bourrée position

La Chamberi

La Chamberi p. 2 La Chamberi p. 3 La Chamberi p. 4 La Chamberi p. 5 La Chamberi p. 6

œ j . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ. œ j . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ. œ.œ ˙. œ œ œ.œœ.œ œ. j . j œ. œ . j j œ œ.œ œ œ.œœ œ œ j œ.œ ˙. œ œ œ.œœ.œ œ. j . j œ. œ . j j œ œ.œ œ œ.œœ œ œ j b 3 œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œn ‰ œ ˙ b 3 œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œn ‰ œ ˙ b 2 œ œ J J œ# œ œ œ.œœ. œ . j j ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ.œ œœœœ .œ œ. b 3 œ œ.œ œ œ œ œ œ œ.œœ œ œ.œ ˙ œ j œ J œ œ.œœ œ œ .œ . b 2 œ œ J J œ# œ œ œ.œœ. œ . j j ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ.œ œœœœ œ. œ. b 3 œ œ.œ œ œ œ œ œ œ.œœ œ œ.œ ˙ œ j œ J œ œ.œœ œ œ .œ . & b J œ. œ œ œ œ J J J J & b J œ. œ œ œ œ J J J J & b J œ J J J œ ˙. œ œœ œœ. ˙. J œ œ J J J œœ œ œ ˙ & b J J œ J œn œ J œn œ.œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ ˙ & b J œ J J J œ ˙. œ œœ œœ. ˙. J œ œ J J J œœ œ œ ˙ & b J J œ J œn œ J œn œ.œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ ˙ La Chamberi par Mr. Dezais

AA BC BC duple triple coupé, beaten coupé ouvert|demi-coupé, coupé ouvert coupé|pas de bourrée

le Menuet d’Espagne

le Menuet d’Espagne p. 2 le Menuet d’Espagne p. 3 le Menuet d’Espagne p. 4 le Menuet d’Espagne p. 5 le Menuet d’Espagne p. 6 le Menuet d’Espagne p. 7

œ . œn œn œ . œn œn œ ˙ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ j œ . œn œn œ . œn œn œn œ œ œ . œ . œn œn # # 3 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j # # œ œ œ œ# . œ# œ# œ œ œ œ# œ œ. # # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j # # œ. œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ# . œ œ œ œ œ ˙. # # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j & # J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & # J œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙. & # J J œ œ ˙. & # J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & # J œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙. & # œ œ œ J œ œ J œ J J & # J œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙. œ # # œ œ. œn œ œ œn œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ le Menuet d’Espagne & # œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ par Mr. Dezais

A B A C A menuet

direction change different facings, into bow [drop outside hands]

La Ribeyra

La Ribeyra p. 2 La Ribeyra p. 3 La Ribeyra p. 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œœœœœ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œœœœœ œ œ œ & & & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ & # œ & # œ & # œ œ œ & # œ œ œ Explanation of Symbols La Ribeyra par Mr. Dezais A strain of music (tick mark indicates midpoint of strain with parallel halves) A A B B duple mirror symmetry coupé|pas de bourrée coupé pt.|pas de bourrée pt. axial symmetry

“parallel” symmetry La Corsini (symmetry by translation) transitional asymmetry

La Corsini p. 4

La Corsini p. 2 La Corsini p. 3 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ . j 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ . j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ ˙. & œ œ œ œ œ ˙. & œ œ œ œ œ œ J . œ œ ˙ œ œ œ . la Bourée ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙. & ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ J J œ œ ˙. œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ ˙. La Corsini & ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ J J par Mr. Dezais choreographic asymmetry question and answer

AA BB (at top or bottom): duple taking partner’s hand

first position first position path change, ending in first position

aA scalable pdf of this table, allowing the viewer to zoom in and study the notations, is available at http://web.mit.edu/kpierce/www/ sdhs2008. Pierce

Figure 1: Notation for example 1

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ## 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙. & Rigaudon l’Asturienne par Mr. Dezais

Figure 2: Notations for example 2

l’Asturienne p. 5 l’Asturienne p. 6

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙. # 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙. & # & # Pierce

Figure 3: Notations for examples 3 and 4

La Denain p. 3 La Denain p. 5 œ. œ . œ. œ # 3 œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ œ j # 3 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙ œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙. & # J J J œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ. œ ˙. & # J J J J J

Figure 4: Notation for example 5

La Chamberi p. 6

œ œ.œ œ œ.œœ œ œ j b 3 œ œ.œ œ œ œ œ œ œ.œœ œ œ.œ ˙ œ j œ J œ œ.œœ œ œ .œ . & b J J œ J œn œ J œn œ.œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ ˙ Pierce

Figure 5: Notations for example 6

La Ribeyra p. 2 œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ # 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & # œ œ œ œ œ & # œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ & # œ & # œ La Ribeyra par Mr. Dezais

Figure 6: Notations for example 7

La Ribeyra p. 3 La Ribeyra p. 4

# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œœœœœ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œœœœœ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ & # œ œ œ & # œ œ œ Pierce

Figure 7: Notations for example 8

La Corsini p. 2

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j 2 œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙. 2 œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙. & la Bourée & La Corsini par Mr. Dezais Pierce

Acknowledgements set to rondeaus; in the years 1710–1719 there were at least ten that were set to music that was partially or entirely in rondeau I am especially grateful to Camilla Finlay for her help form. Five of these were by Balon (see Table 4). For more in learning and studying Dezais’s dances, and for her on Balon’s choreographic approach, see Ken Pierce, “Choreo- graphic Structure in the Dances of Claude Balon”, in Proceed- perceptive comments and questions about his choreo- ings Society of Dance History Scholars (2001), 101–104. graphic approach. Students of the 2007 Longy Sum- 10. For more on choreographic structure, see Ken Pierce, “Chore- ographic structure in baroque dance”, in Jennifer Nevile (ed.), mer Early Dance workshop and of this year’s Longy Dance, Spectacle, and the Body Politick, 1250–1750 (Bloom- Early Dance Ensemble learned and performed several ington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 2008), chapter 9. of these dances, helping me to become more familiar 11. LMC 4800 and 1200. La Bourrée d’Achille (LMC 1480) and with Dezais’s choreographies. Milo Momm generously la Conty (LMC 2220) are additional examples of dances that include only a few measures in which the dancers face the pres- helped resolve my questions about Dezais’s 1725 pub- ence. lication. Alastair Thompson, harpsichord, wrote bass 12. The only exception is la Silvie, for 1712, in which the dancer face the presence for only one measure. The range for the rest lines, and recorded the dance music with Karen Burci- of Balon’s dances from the period 1712–1719 is six to twenty- two. aga, violin. I wish to acknowledge and thank the Longy 13. The turn symbols in the notation are inaccurate. School of Music for support of my teaching and re- 14. LMC 5360. Rebecca Harris-Warrick, “La Mariée: the history of a French court dance”, in Jean-Baptiste Lully and the Mu- search, and for a Faculty Development grant funding my sic of the French Baroque: Essays in Honor of James R. An- attendance at the 2008 SDHS conference. thony, ed. John Hajdu Heyer (Cambridge: Cambridge Univer- sity Press, 1989), 239–58. 15. For example, LMC 7820, “Sarabande Espagnole”. Text, tables, and figures copyright 2008 Ken Pierce. 16. Francine Lancelot, La Belle Dance (Paris: Van Dieren,1996), 206. Notes Notation samples in the figures and Table 5 are redrawn from photo- copies of original printed copies and manuscripts. They are meant to be working copies rather than definitive editions, though I have tried to be as accurate as possible, correcting obvious errors but not sup- plying symbols presumed missing, nor resolving ambiguous liaison lines. Scalable pdfs of Table 5 and dance notations are available at http://web.mit.edu/kpierce/www/sdhs2008.

1. The correction to the abstract is in Dezais’s first name. The abstract remains inaccurate in that the material presented in the workshop was not exactly as advertised. 2. Régine Astier, “Feuillet Notation” in Selma Jeanne Cohen et al., eds., International Encyclopedia of Dance (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998), 2:588–590. 3. Sources for dances in the annual collection are listed in Mered- ith Ellis Little and Carol G. Marsh, La Danse Noble: An in- ventory of dances and sources (Williamstown: Broude Broth- ers Limited, 1992), hereafter “LMC”. The contredanse collections are II. Recueil de Nouvelles Contredanses (Paris, 1712) and Premier livre de contre-dances àquatre, àsix & àhuit (Paris, 1725). Apparently Dezais published this latter work in 1725 and again, with a new title page, in 1726 (Milo Momm, personal communication). 4. Emile´ Campardon, L’Académie royale de musique au XVIIIe siècle (Paris, 1884), 1:243. 5. Campardon, 242–243, confirmed by: Claude and François Par- faict, Dictionnaire des theatres de Paris (Paris: Rozet, 1767), under headings of works listed by Campardon. 6. Michael Barnard and Mary Hunter note that “Campardon iden- tified Jacques Deshayes with Joseph Dezais (fl 1710–22), a choreographer at the Opéra who taught dancing and published collections of dances, but this claim has never been proved.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Stanley Sadie, ed., 2nd ed. (New York: Grove’s Dictionaries, 2001), 7:237. 7. Gottfried Taubert, Rechtschaffener Tanzmeister (Leipzig, 1717), appendix. 8. LMC 2280. 9. There seems to have been a fashion for rondeaus in dance music in the second decade of the eighteenth century. In the years 1700–1709, only four published ballroom dances were