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Bizzarria d'Amore

Dance Type: 
Number of dancers: 
4
About this choreography: 
In-class reconstruction, by Katherine and students, September 2016.
Choreography: 

For four dancers - two men and two women - in a square, arranged: man, woman, man, woman.

First Verse - opening honours

  • Riverenza grave (men only, women responding with a small bend/nod)
  • 2 riprese sottopiede, left and right (men only) (one each way, or two each way: either works)
  • Riverenza grave (women only)
  • (2 riprese sottopiede, women only) (not specified in text)

Chorus - all dance

  • 2 small jumps (saltini a pie pari)
  • 2 riprese minute, going to the left the the right (I do these with three movements each way)
    • repeat: 2 jumps, riprese to right and left
  • 2 spezzati backwards LR
  • seguito forwards L
    • repeat: 2 spezzati backwards RL, seguito R forwards

Second verse: changing places

  • 2 spezzati LR, seguito L: men only, changing places (pass right shoulders)
  • 2 spezzati RL, seguito R: men only, turning in place to the left
  • repeat: women do as men just did
  • all: chorus

Third verse: circling all the way round

  • 2 seguiti LR: each man takes own partner by right hard, they circle and return to place, release arms
  • 2 seguiti LR: each person turns in place to the left
  • 2 seguiti LR: each man takes other woman by left hand, they circle and return to place
  • 2 seguiti LR: each person turns in palce (to the right)
  • all: chorus

Fourth verse: changing places, while holding arms

  • As verse 2, but men and then women take arms as they exchange places

Fifth verse: circling round and back

  • seguito L: each man takes own partner by right hand, change places
  • seguito R: each man takes own partner by left hand, change back into own place
  • 2 seguiti, LR: everyone turns in place, to the left
    • repeat: all the above, only taking hands with the other opposite-gendered dancer
  • all: chorus

Sixth verse: hey in 8 seguiti

  • 2 seguiti LR: change places, taking right hands with own partner; then turn in place to the left
  • 5 seguiti LRLRL: take left hands, exchange places with the next person on; continue hey, exchanging right and left hands
  • 1 seguito: turn in place (opposite your original position, but the same with respect to the other dancers)
  • all: chorus
Music: 

I use the Musica Subterranea version.

About this translation: 

Translation by K. Davies, 2016. 

Translation: 

New dance by the Author, called Bizzarria d'Amore (the Whimsy of Love), danced by four - two gentlemen and two ladies.

In honour of the most illustrious lady, Lady Caterina Balba e Rho. 

FIRST PART

They stop in the middle of the room in a square, as shown in the picture, the gentlemen together do the Rx [Riverenza] grave, and the ladies bend a little, then two R [Riprese] sottopiede to the left, and to the right. The ladies also do the Rx [Riverenza] and the R [Riprese]. They all do together two saltini a pie pari [jumps with feet even] and two R. [Riprese] minute to the left and to the right and return to od the same to the right hand then one does two SP [Spezzati] backwards with the left, and one S [Seguito] forwards with that foot. They do the same with the right foot. These saltini and the R. and the SP. backwards, adn the S. forwards are done at the end of every part of this dance.

SECOND PART

The gentelmen go forwards, one into the other's place, doing two SP. [Spezzati] grave, and one S. [Seguito] with the left. Then two SP. [Spezzati] and one S. [Seguito] with the right foot turning around to the left. The ladies also do the same thing, all together they do the saltini, the R. and the SP. backwards, and the S. forwards, as they did before. 

THIRD PART

The gentlemen take the right arm, and do two S. [Seguiti] turning around to that hand each with his own lady, returning to his own place. They release [hands] and do another two S. [Seguiti] turning around to the left. Then they take the left hand of the other lady and do the same S. that they did before returning each to his own place. Then they do the saltini, and the R. and the the SP. and the S. as above.

FOURTH PART

The gentlemen only take right arms, and they do two SP. [Spezzati] and one S. [Seguito] turning around to the right passing one into the other's place. They release and do another two SP. and a S. turning around to the left. The ladies only do the same thing, that was done above, a all together they do the saltini, the R., the SP. and the S. as they did before.

FIFTH PART

The gentlemen take the right hands of their own ladies, and they do a S. [Seguito] with the left passing each into the other's place. Then they take left hands, and do another S. with the right, each returning to his own place. They release, and they do another two S. turning around to the left with that foot. Then one takes the right hand of the other lady, and one returns to do this another time, as before, everyone returning to their own places. They do the saltini, and the R. and the SP. and the S. as above.

SIXTH PART

The gentlemen take the right arms of their own ladies, and do eight S. [Seguiti] two turning around to the right and going each into the place of the other, and turning his face around he releases, then taking the left hand of the other lady, and they do six S. in a braid turning around to the left, taking hand five time always exchanging, and returning each one to his own place he turns himself to face. Then they do the saltini and the R. and the SP. and the S. as they did above, and they do the Rx. [Riverenza] together, finishing the dance with grace and decorum.