Bouffons

[watervole]

 Bouffons is the oldest dance in our repertoire.  We do several sword dances that are old in style, but no dances more than 100 years old have much detail recorded.  And ones more recent than that are rarely recorded in enough detail to get the nuances correct (and sometimes those nuances can make a serious difference to how well the dance works.

Bouffons is different. It was  published in Orchestography, by the Frenchman Thoinot Arbeau, published in 1589.  (Dancing masters taught dances to the well-off to dance/perform at balls, social occasions, and the like)

Every single step and turn of the dance is given in full detail. The music is given, the stepping is described and the detail is exhausting!  It took us a long time to master the first figure of the dance.  You have to spin round and hit the swords of other dancers in a complex sequence.

But we made it in the end :)

Here's an excellent video of Southern Star Longsword dancing Bouffons at Wessex Folk Festival.

I still can't believe we did it this fast!

Watch on YouTube

Video filmed by Brian Kelly

Comments

[kotturinn]

Well done! Dancers and musician!

[ranunculus]

I'll second that!

[vera_j]

I have commented on FB but I repeat here - I am impressed by the performance!

[watervole]

You say the nicest things :)

I was there, and I still find it hard to believe the video!

[pensnest]

That is very fast-paced, and so complicated! Well done, all.

[watervole]

Thanks! it was a good day, and we really enjoyed ourselves.

[replyhazy]

ya lunatics, you could have been killed! :)

those quick little turns and the sword beats behind you! Well done, all of you!

[watervole]

Let's just say that it took an awful lot of practice!

No injuries yet, though I did find a mysterious bruise on my leg a few days ago...