The Marlborough Connection: the War of the Spanish Succession remembered in the early eighteenth-century English country dance
(Philippe Callens)

At the beginning of the eighteenth century the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was fought in present-day Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The Great Alliance formed by England, Austria and the Dutch Republic against the Franco-Bavarian coalition proofed to be successful in a series of military events till 1709, most notably at Blindheim/Höchstädt, Ramillies and Oudenaarde. English commander John Churchill, duke of Marlborough, played an important role in these victories that brought him lasting fame. In 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht ended the war which greatly altered the balance of power in Europe and so influenced the international political situation until the French Revolution. It doubtlessly marked the rise of the British empire.

It is intriguing to notice how the War of the Spanish Succession influenced cultural life and the arts in England during and shortly after that period. Abundant traces can be found in literature, theatre, music and dance, especially country dance. In the first two decades of the century London music publisher John Young continued to publish new editions of The Dancing Master and also brought out a ‘Volume the Second’. John Walsh began to publish collection of country dances as well and would soon take the initiative in publishing the new dances. The topicality of the War of the Spanish Succession is strongly reflected in the titles of some forty new country dances published by both Young and Walsh between 1706 and 1719.

The dance evening will begin with an orientation on the subject as described above. This will lead to the teaching and the execution of the selected dances.

Philippe Callens, Antwerpen, Belgien:

Philippe Callens (1962) has been teaching English country dancing for nearly thirty years. He ran a monthly class in his native Antwerp (Belgium) from 1988 till 2005. He has also taught in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and often appears as a guest teacher in the USA and England. He has published three books and a CD. At the 1. Rothenfelser Tanzsymposion he led a workshop on country dances published by Henry Playford and and evening with the choreographies of Thomas Bray. Philippe works as an arts librarian for the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.