New Book and CDs: Dances for Queen Victoria

New Book and CDs: Dances for Queen Victoria

For dancers, For musicians, News
Dances for Queen Victoria presents a collection of dances that were taught to Queen Victoria’s children by Edinburgh dancing master Joseph Lowe, accompanied with new recordings of the music and new essays that shed light on the collection’s historical context and significance. Joseph Lowe, one of the leading dancing masters of Edinburgh, was employed twice a year as dancing master to Queen Victoria’s children at Balmoral and Windsor. Lowe’s published dances thus set the standard for glamorous Victorian ballroom accomplishments. This edition provides further guidance and notes on each dance; additional dance instructions where needed; vocabularies of steps, figures and formations; illustrations and diagrams; and a full facsimile of the original publication from a copy in the National Library of Scotland – making it the definitive resource for dancers and researchers…
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New book and CD: The Boone Companion

New book and CD: The Boone Companion

For dancers, News
The Boone Companion: Dances of mid-seventeenth-century England from the Pattricke, Sloane, Lansdowne manuscripts & Playford by Paul and Ann Kent. The book contains instructions for 18 dances from the three manuscripts and reworking of two Playford dances. It includes diplomatic transcriptions of the manuscript texts and the dances have been clearly described with the help of diagrams and represent realisations that aim to suit dancers from both folk and historical dance backgrounds. There is a separate CD/digital recording to accompany this book with music for all the dances. The music has been selected from contemporary sources and arranged and directed by David Gordon. It is played by a small instrumental ensemble and provides effective music for the dances as well as for enjoyable listening. For full details and to buy…
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New book and CD: Dances of the French Courts

New book and CD: Dances of the French Courts

For dancers, News, Other
Dances of the French Courts: 16th century Dance, Music and Songs from France, is a collection of dances and their music from the reign of François I (1515-1547) to that of the young Louis XIII in 1614 researched by Anne Daye with music recorded by Passomezzo directed by Tamsin Lewis. Instructions are given for each dance, along with music notation, and there are notes on the relevant steps. Several short essays provide insight into the practice of dancing in France across this period. For full details and to buy hard copies or downloads see HDS Shop The music is also available for purchase on Bandcamp.
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