Early Modern Period / The Renaissance

 

 I

Unit: Early Modern Period

Theme: The Renaissance 

Introduction

The Renaissance was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political and economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages. Generally described as taking place from the 14th century to the 17th century, the Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature and art.

 

II

Learning Objectives

 

• Understand the importance of the Reformation 
• Explain the meaning of the Renaissance for dance
• Gain an awareness of the Pre-Classic dances
• Experience the steps of some Renaissance dances
  

 

III

 

Main Lesson

 

 1

Reformation

The Reformation is considered one of the events that signify the end of the Middle Ages and beginning of Early modern period in Europe.

Reformation, also called Protestant Reformation, refers to the religious revolution that took place in the Western church in the 16th century.

The Reformation was the start of Protestantism and the split of the Western Church into Protestantism and what is now the Roman Catholic Church.

The Protestant Reformation was also a political, intellectual and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era.

The Reformation began when German priest Martin Luther nailed his "95 Theses" -- a list of grievances against the Catholic Church's practices -- to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517.

 

2

 

Renaissance

Renaissance was a cultural movement that began in Italy and spread across Europe while reformation was the Northern European Christian movement. 

Renaissance paved the way for the advancement in art and architecture, whereas Reformation paved the way for religious fragmentation. 

The Renaissance was a period from the 14th to the 16th centuries marked by a renewed interest in Classical Graeco-Roman culture, art, learning and science. It began in what is now Italy and spread throughout Europe. 

The Protestant Reformation was a European religious movement which challenged the authority of the pope and the Catholic Church, which until then was the only organized form of Christianity in Western Europe.

The Renaissance started in Florence, Italy, a place with a rich cultural history where wealthy citizens could afford to support budding artists. 

Members of the powerful Medici family, which ruled Florence for more than 60 years, were famous backers of the movement.

In the revival of neo-Platonism and other ancient philosophies, Renaissance Humanists did not reject Christianity; quite to the contrary, many of the Renaissance's greatest works were devoted to it, and the church patronized many works of Renaissance art.

 

 3

 

I. Historic Overview of the Renaissance

Ch. 17: History of the Renaissance -- 18 min

Question 1

After watching the video above, explain in detail the meaning of the word renaissance and why the cultural period Renaissance was given that name.

 

4

 

The Vitruvian Man 

(min. 20:00)
 

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  5

 

 

Dance in the Renaissance

Please, click on the link below, read the article on dance during the Renaissance and answer the following questions:

LINK

  The Renaissance Period

 

 

Question 2

Why are these dances called pre-classic?

 

 

 6

 

 

 

Question 3

What are the main characteristics of these dance steps? 

 

7

 The Dances of Shakespeare

 Page 30

The Dances of Shakespeare by Hoskins

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Dances_of_Shakespeare/5WXhAQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=The+Canary,+a+dance&pg=PA30&printsec=frontcover

The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare and Dance

Page 74

The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare and Dance by McCulloch, Lynsay and Shaw, Brandon https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Oxford_Handbook_of_Shakespeare_and_D/EfeEDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=The+Canary,+a+dance&pg=PA74&printsec=frontcover

 

IV

A Note to Remember

 The Renaissance was mainly an Italian movement through which artist made a come back to the humanistic ideals that prevailed during the Classic period.

 

 

 V

 Case Study

 

1

 

The Canary Dance

The Canary dance was a Renaissance dance inspired in an indigenous dance and song of the Canary Islands that became popular all over Europe in the late 16th and early 17th century.

The dance, which is most often choreographed for a single couple, has been characterized as "a fiery wooing dance" with either Canary origins or at least a Canary flavor from its "rapid heel-and-toe stamps" and distinctive music (Suton, p.50). It was also called frogs legs, because it was an energetic dance that featured jumps, stamping of the feet and violent movement, accompanied by music with syncopated rhythms (Thomas, 1980).

While there are choreographies for the canario as a stand-alone dance in the dancing manuals of Fabritio Caroso, Cesare Negri, and Thoinot Arbeau (1967), it most frequently appears as a section of a larger dance or suite of dances (Suito, 50-52). Several Baroque composers (notably J.S. Bach) used the distinctive rhythm of the Canary in a few pieces, such as the gigue of the French Suite in C Minor, and it also appears in one of the Goldber Variations (Variation 7).

References

 Sutton, "Canary," vol. 2, p. 50.

Stanford, E. Thomas (1980). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. London: Macmillan

Thoinot Arbeau, Orchesography, transl. Mary S. Evans, ed. Julia Sutton (New York: Dover, 1967), pp. 179-181

2

Instrumental Zapateo

 

 

Danced Zapateo

Cuban

According to some sources, the Cuban zapateo is of Spanish origin. Some say it is Canarian or Andalusian... (Depestre Catony, 11). However, other sources state that the Cuban zapateo is of Mexican origin. Poumier (1975) says that the guajiro zapateo, which was not danced by black people, but by white people, came from Spain, but through Mexico. She adds that the Havana of this period had a huge Mexican influence (38).

 

 VI

Activity 1

Students create couples and learn how to dance the Renaissance dances.

VII

Journaling

VIII

Glossary

 Renaissance

 pre-classic

IX

Sources

Depestre Catony, Leaonardo (2020). Protagonistas de la Musica Cubana. Editorial Vermum

Poumier, Maria (1975). Apuntes sobre la vida cotidiana en Cuba en 1898. Editorial de Ciencias Sociales. University of Texas

Escalante Chamorro, E. (1984). Los Instrumentos de Percusion en Mexico. Colegio de Michoacan. Universtiy of Texas

Melendez, Priscilla (2023). Asaltos al escenario: humor, genero e historia en el teatro de Sabina Berman. Bonilla Artiga Editores

Hoskins, Jim (2013). The Dances of Shakespeare. Taylor and Francis

McCulloch, Lynsay and Shaw, Brandon (2019). The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare and Dance. Oxford University Press (Page 73)

X

STUDENTS' WORK

a) Experiential Work

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From the Canary to the Zapateo

b) Academic Work

1. After watching the video above, explain in detail the meaning of the word renaissance and why the cultural period Renaissance was given that name.

Renaissance can be defined as the rebirth, revival, or renewed interest in something. The Renaissance was given that name due to the renewed interest in the study of ancient Greeks and Romans and their ideals. During this period, Europeans adapted many ancient customs and studied their tactics on a multitude of levels. 

2. Why are these dances called pre-classic?

These dances were called pre-classic as they often contain elements of folk and aristocratic movements. 

3. What are the main characteristics of these dance steps? 

The dances here require a lot of small foot and knee movements that were often done in quick order as well as with jumping. All of these dances required detailed steps with coordination and accuracy. 

4. What similarities do you notice between the Renaissance dances and the zapateo in Latin America?

The main similarity that I see is the use of quick feet movements in a forward or side motion, equally the zapateo uses a lot of jumping and skipping motions.