Setting up the "Allemande" within the space of a ballroom: Hypothesis based on Brives Nouvelle Méthode from 1779
(Guillaume Jablonka)
This workshop aims at experimenting the alternation of "passes d'allemande" on the center spot and promenades in an "attitude" around a cotillon square set. The three following sequences will constitute the core of the workshop: learning a few figures of "allemande à deux" by Brives, then training a few figures taken from 1770 Jean Robert's Allemande Orleanoise on a cotillon square set or from French country dances where "passes d’allemande" happen and finally having several square sets of couples improvising "passes d'allemandes" and promenades in the same room.
Reconstructing the "Allemande" of the late 18th century is nowadays mainly based on the positions detailed by Mr. Guillaume in 1769 and the principles taught by Mr Dubois around the same period. Both treatises show engravings of the attitudes typical of this dance and explain how to manage the changes of handholds between these attitudes. But neither explains clearly how this happens in the ballroom or how the different figures are organized in the general flow of the dance. Thanks to Brives and Jean Robert it is now possible to know how to dance the allemande as a whole : the different "passes" or figures are danced in the center of the dancing space and each of them is followed by a certain portion of promenade or "course" around this space.
The explanations given by Brives and Jean Robert relate with coherence to French country dancing of the late 18th century including some "passes d’Allemande". Called German or not, country dances may contain Allemande handholds that are performed on spot and then a "tour de course" follows in the attitude in which the dancers finished. This has nothing to do with the "tour d'allemande" that is one of the different couplets of French country dancing.
While dancing the "Allemande", a common rule is needed so that all the couples can dance together in the same room: this is what this workshop is about. Brives makes a difference between the "Valx" and the "Allemande", the occupation of space is one of its aspects.
Guillaume Jablonka, Asnieres sur Seine, Frankreich:
Guillaume Jablonka trained as a ballet dancer in Strasbourg and discovered baroque dance while working for L'Eventail (M.G. Masse). He then performed for Ana Yepes, Sigrid T'Hooft, Deda Cristina Colonna or Hubert Hazebroucq. In 2006 he founded Divertimenty and choreographed several shows. His research focuses mainly on the reconstruction of the divertissements and pantomime ballets notated in 1782 by Auguste Ferrere. Paris Sorbonne University invited him to teach baroque dance to students interested in HIP.
