This dance is somewhat more complex than, say, Petit Vriens or La Spagna, but it is still much simpler than other dances in the 15^th Century repertoire.

The dance appears in various different versions in the 15^th Century manuscripts. This version is for 2 people, one man and one lady.

The dance combines bassadanza and saltarello with a short piva section at the end.

One More Bassadanza Step: Volta del Gioioso

The volta del gioioso is a step that is relatively uncommon. It is in fact a sequence of three steps taken over two bars of bassadanza. It appears in this dance as well as a few other dances in the repertoire.

The step starts with two singles, right then left, then ends with a ripresa on the right foot.

The first single is done stepping with the right foot across the body, and turning slightly over the left shoulder. The second single is done with the left foot, stepping back and around, completing approximately a half turn or a bit more (perhaps closer to two-thirds).

The step finishes with a ripresa on the right foot. Begin by stepping across with the right foot, continuing the turn to almost a full turn and putting your weight onto your right foot. Complete the ripresa by closing with the left foot, stepping away with the right foot, and close again with the left foot.

The full effect is to have done a full turn over the left shoulder starting on the right foot, and ending up slightly to the right of where you started (because of the ripresa).

Part 1 – Bassadanza

The dance starts with the couple standing side by side and holding hands.

1 – 2

RpL RpR

Ripresa left then right. At the end of this, drop hands.

3 – 5

SL SR DL DR

The man moves forwards, away from the lady, doing a single left, single right, doppio left and a doppio right. At the end of the last doppio he should turn to face the lady.

6 – 7

RpL RpR

Both the man and the lady are now facing each other some distance apart. They do a ripresa left then a ripresa right.

8 – 10

SL SR DL DR

The man does a single left, single right, doppio left, then doppio right, to return to the lady. At the end of the last doppio he turns to face forwards again so that the dancers are back in their starting position.

Repeat

This section is repeated, with the lady doing the steps that the man has just done.

11 – 12

RpL RpR

Ripresa left then right. At the end of this, drop hands.

13 – 15

SL SR DL DR

The lady does a single left, single right, doppio left, doppio right, moving forwards away from the man. Finish by turning to face.

16 – 17

RpL RpR

Both the man and the lady are now facing each other some distance apart. They do a ripresa left then a ripresa right.

18 – 20

SL SR DL DR

The lady returns to the man with the same steps as before … single left, single right, doppio left, doppio right. End up back in the starting position again.

Note the pattern that occurs right throughout this section: Two riprese, two singles, two doppii. The next section alters this pattern very slightly.

Part 2: Bassadanza

The man and the lady start this section in the same place that they started the first section. In this part of the dance they will progress around the dance floor.

21 - 22

RpL RpR

Ripresa left then right.

23 – 26

SL SR DL DR DL

Both dancers move forwards with two singles (left then right) then three doppii (left, right, left). Finish by dropping hands.

27

VgR

Volta del Gioioso, end up back in the starting position holding hands again.

We repeat the above section.

28 - 29

RpL RpR

Ripresa left then right.

30 - 33

SL SR DL DR DL

Both dancers move forwards with two singles (left then right) then three doppii (left, right, left). Finish by dropping hands.

34

VgR

Volta del Gioioso, end up back in the starting position holding hands again.

Part 3: Saltarello

This is a simple saltarello section, with the dancers moving about the floor as they will.

35 – 50

Sl x 16

16 bars of saltarello steps, dancers progress around the floor as they will. Use some improvisation here!

Part 4: Piva

The dance finishes with a short flirty piva section.

51

M

Man does a movimento

52

M

Lady does a movimento

53 – 54

DL

Man does a doppio on the left foot, moving away from the lady.

55

M

Lady does a movimento.

56

M

Man does a movimento.

57 – 58

DL

Lady does a movimento on the left foot, moving towards the man.

The above section is then repeated to conclude the dance.

59

M

Man does a movimento

60

M

Lady does a movimento

61 – 62

DL

Man does a doppio on the left foot, moving away from the lady.

63

M

Lady does a movimento.

64

M

Man does a movimento.

65 – 66

DL

Lady does a movimento on the left foot, moving towards the man.

Repeat

The dance is then repeated from the beginning. On the second repeat of the dance the lady does everything first in all sections of the dance. Eg: in part I, the lady moves away and back to the man first, and the man goes second; in part IV the lady starts with the first movimento and the pattern continues from there.