Branle
The Branles, or Bransles, are historical dances that were in use from the 15th to the 17th century and whose first written and therefore accurate description dates from the 16th century.
The Branle or Bransle is a mostly moderately moving round dance in straight time, whose leading person thus has a prominent role, the dances were led among other things by clergymen, state persons etc.. The dancing direction of all Branles is to the left. Pictures and engravings of this period show a practice in which the leader danced with his hand raised or with his hat on a staff.
The Branles have as basic step the so-called Pas Double (4 times), which can be combined with one or more Pas Simples (2 times) in some dances. Further combinations of the double can be designed with turns, jumps, foot stomps and the like.
Before it became independent in the 16th century, the branle was also the final pas in the basse danse. A distinction is made between the branle simple in straight time and the rarer branle gay in a livelier triple time (for example 3/4 time).
- 'Branle gay', a branle "in the livelier triple time (for young married couples)", from the dance books of Pierre Attaignant
Some branles have been handed down through the dance book "Orchésographie et traité en forme de dialogue" published by Thoinot Arbeau in 1589, in which branles form the numerical focus. In the description of the favourite dances of the youth of this author, professionally a canon at Langres, we find in the "Orchésographie" the first choreographic and thus reliable writing on the dance sequence, style and step execution. These Branles are the first to have been handed down to us in such a way that they can be reliably traced. More than the Branles mentioned by him were certainly danced and known (especially since there are other and inaccurate dance scripts and some sets of notes, for example published by Pierre Phalèse without naming a composer), because the possible combinations of the double with other steps are manifold and almost infinite. It can thus be assumed that there was a much larger repertoire than the one we know today. Arbeau himself describes to us only one practice of the higher society. His branles are performed in "suites".
Branles were still danced in the mid-17th century to open balls. The dance developed further with more complex footwork. While Arbeau seems to focus on the cheerful and playful character, the branles in the 17th century were characterized by their courtly context, which, perhaps apart from the branles de village (for instance by Jean-Baptiste Besard and Robert Ballard), is reflected in a more serious and representative character. Since the 15th century, courtly society had increasingly shown a tendency to develop its own formal dance language. In this sense, dance as a medium was used in a "state-supporting" manner and developed independently and away from the Branles.
Special names for different types of the Branle were beside Branle, Branle simple, Branle gay and Branle de village also Branle de Poictou, Branle engleterre and Branle englese as well as Branle de Bourgogne and (with Robert Ballard) Branle de la Cornemuse.
Today, new choreographies and compositions are emerging. The work of Danyèle Besserer and Gilles Péquignot of the Alsatian group Au Gré des Vents should certainly be mentioned here. These new choreographies, which rest on the knowledge of the historical basis, are taught in Germany and France and are danced with pleasure at the Bal Folks.
