Variations of the « trait de la contredanse » in the 19th Century
(Irène Feste)

The « trait de la contredanse », the key element of the quadrille de contredanse, in the early nineteenth century, allows dancers to move, even within the formation of a quadrille, according to a specific pattern using an elaborate combination of steps from the vocabulary of the theatrical dance (temps levé, chassé, jeté, assemblé, temps de Zéphir, pirouette, entrechat...). Thus, the « trait de la contredanse » offers multiple opportunities for dancers to show their virtuosity during the ball.

For the workshop, from one or two selected figures of the quadrille de contredanse, we work on the variety of some traits de la contredanse proposed by different dancing masters, as Gourdoux-Daux, Blanchard, Blasis, Claudius, to bring out technical differences and recurring forms. From these « traits de la contredanse », the dancers can also improvise, as did Mr Trénis, « the Vestris of ballroom », and create their own traits to show their brilliant steps.

Irène Feste, Arcueil, France:

Irène Feste is a choreographer, dancer and teacher of classical ballet and historical dance, from the Renaissance to the late 19th century. After a diploma of master engineer in telecommunications and networks and state diploma of teacher in classical dance, she joined, in 2005, the company the L’Éclat des Muses, directed by Christine Bayle and together with P.-F. Dollé went on to found the company Fantaisies Baroques. In 2020, she found the company Danses au (Pas)sé. She performs with companies such as Les Corps Eloquents, Divertimenty, Le Baroque Nomade, La Tempesta, Doulce Mémoire and has been awarded several research grants from the Centre national de la Danse. Her current research interests focus on French 19th century ballroom and theatre dance (Jean-Henri Gourdoux-Daux, Michel Saint-Léon, Jean-Etienne Despréaux).