A short piece entitled ‘Music and Movement – Music and Dancing –
Dancing, Movement and Music’ by Nathalie Dolmetsch (founder of the
Historical Dance Society) was recently passed on to the society by
Louise Bailey, her daughter. We have published a online in Historical
Dance a transcription by Anne Daye. Although clearly a first draft, as
suggested by the titles, the topic remains relevant to historical
dancers today.
To accompany this, we have a biography of Nathalie Dolmetsch written by
Anne Daye. It paints a picture of a talented musician, dancer, teacher
and organiser (she was also instrumental in founding the Viola da Gamba
Society and began the historical dance summer schools) from a remarkable
family. The article is based on written sources, on conversations of
Anne and Ann Hinchliffe with Marie-Louise Bailey and Marie-Thérèse Budd,
Nathalie’s daughters, and on Anne’s recollections of Nathalie from
summer schools and the early years of the Historical Dance Society.