The Art of Baroque Dance: Folies d'Espagne from Page to Stage

Well before the reign of Louis XIV, regional dance flourished throughout Europe, but it was the monarch himself who created the Royal Academy of Dance and codified various elements, such as the five basic positions for ballet, which are still in place today. The French production The Art of Baroque Dance amply illustrates the process of recreating a Baroque dance. Performing to the various movements of “Folies d'Espagne” by Marin Marais (1656-1728), a male and female dancer—clad in informal period dress—present detailed demonstrations of five elements of the genre: dance notation, treatment of space, arm embellishments, relation to music, and interpretation of the dancer, concluding with a full dress performance at the Salle des Malassis de Bagnolet. Enriched by lovely cinematography and period instruments, this fine production can be enjoyed by dance professionals and casual viewers alike. Highly recommended. [Note: also newly available is Dance Vivaldi: A Contemporary Baroque Ballet.] Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)