Lower Class Tudor DancesLower Class Tudor Dances The Tudor poor Lower Classes were not in the position to hear the new royal court music or learn the intricate steps of the Tudor Court dances practised by the rich and famous. Their only contact with these new dances would have been through the theatres which became popular during the reign of Elizabeth I. It was impossible for many of these court dances to be performed by the poor as many of the musical instruments used were expensive and large. In addition, keyboard instruments were not suitable for outdoor use which is where the poor danced. The Lower Class Tudor dances revolved around country dancing. The English Tudor country dance was danced by couples in round, square, or rectangular sets in much simpler and repetitive forms than those of the royal court dance. List and description of Lower Class Tudor Dances Many of the Lower Class Tudor dances were steeped in old customs and rituals, such as dancing around the Maypole. The time for Lower Class Tudor dancing was dictated by the the changing seasons and the calendar of Church events. This page describes the most popular Lower Class Tudor Dances. Lower Class Tudor Dance - The Maypole Dance Maypole Dance - Mayday in England was a holiday and the opportunity to indulge in some raucous fun. A queen of the May from the eligible young women of the village, to rule the crops until harvest and from this the tradition of beauty pageants may have evolved. It is believed that May Day celebrations date back to pagan ceremonies enacted by the Druids. The tradition of dancing around the Maypole dated back to the English pagan era where the maypole represented a symbol of fertility. Dancers dance in a circle each holding a coloured ribbon attached to a central pole Lower Class Tudor Dance - The Morris Dance Morris Dancing - Often danced with handkerchiefs or sticks to embellish the hand movements Lower Class Tudor Dance - The Brand Brand, Brawle, Branle - the first dance often performed during celebratory gatherings and was also immensely popular as a concluding dance for masque revels. This circle dance featured sideways steps Lower Class Tudor Dance - The Roundel Roundel - Any dances which were performed in circle also called a ring-dance Lower Class Tudor Dance - The Dump Dump, Dumpe or Dompe - Dance accompanied by the lute Lower Class Tudor Dance - The Buffoon The Buffoon - Named after the Comic characters (Buffoons) who originally featured in ritual dancing such as Morris dances. The theme survived in the Buffoon country dance and also in court masques. Lower Class Tudor Dance - The Hornpipe The Hornpipe - a lively dance resembling a jig which eventually became associated with sailors. Often accompanied by a pipe with a reed mouthpiece. Lower Class Tudor Dance - The Jig The Jig or Gigge aka Port - the jig traditionally involved 'leaps'. Also eventually became associated with sailors. Names of Tudor Country Dances The names of different Tudor Country dances are both interesting and amusing! Their names reflect the types of dance and also common country activities. The following are a list of the names of different Tudor Country dances:
Names of Country Dances | - Black Nag
- Gathering Peascods
- Bransle Hay
- Chirping of the Nightingale
- Cuckolds All In A Row
- The Fryar and the Nun
- Hyde Park
- Hole in the Wall
- Jack a Lent
- Jenny Pluck Pears
- The Mayd peept out at the window
| - Merry Merry Milke Maids
- Petticoat Wag
- Punks Delight
- Picking Up Sticks
- The Bear Dance
- Rufty Tufty
- Saturday night and Sunday morn
- Strip the Willow
- Sellenger's Round
- Trenchmore (The Hunting of the Fox)
- Washerwomen's Bransle
| Names of Country Dances |
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