Reconstructions of the dances from the Il Papa manuscript

Index

• Step abbreviations
• step-reconstructions
  • Passo
  • Passetto
  • Passettino
  • Passo falso
  • Passo in traverso
  • Ripresa
  • Ripresa lunga
  • Ripresa under
  • Mezza ripresa
  • Reverenza
  • Reverenzetta
  • Continenzo
  • Trapassino
  • Volta
  • Volta di Lasso
  • Volta di Tromboni
  • Scempio
  • Dopio
• timing

Step abbreviations

Step reconstructions

Passo

The passo presents a basic problem for translation and reconstruction: It can be used as jargon, meaning a particular dance step called the passo, and it can be used as an ordinary term meaning just a "step". We have generally assumed rendered it as jargon unless it is clearly and obviously meant otherwise. This is, of course, one possible source of error, but we think our choice to render it this way minimizes the chance of such mistakes.

Other than this one caveat, there isn't much information in the source exactly what is meant by the dance term, "passo". Some information becomes apparent from an analysis of timing (below), but there is no information about the ornamentation or performance of this step in this manuscript.

Passetto

Passetti are, obviously, smaller passi. They are usually done in sets of 4, and 4 passetti on the part of the lady can move her from in line with the men, to forming a triangle with them - tautologically true, but if we presume a somewhat equilateral triangle, we get some notion of the amount of space covered. For one example thereof, see la Primavera, leaf 8, page 15, lines 4-5

Passettino

Other than being even smaller passi than passetti (obvious from the etymology>, there is no specific information about this step in the manuscript. We assume something like scorsi

Passo falso

This step appears only in Baramattio, and contains a pretty detailed description: Then all together, they do a passo falso, that is, a mezza ripresa under the left foot, and a passo on the right foot, which makes them turn their faces towards one another. (Baramattio, leaf 13, page 25, lines 7-10)

Also note that in section 4 of Baramatio, there are two passi falsi in a row, though there is no mention of which foot they are on that could aid the reconstruction.

Siena also has a passo falso, in Ginevra. Most other versions of Gienvera have, at this point They turn back with a sempio beginning with the left foot [Smith, V. II, p. 131] though NYp has They turn back with two pasettini begining with the right foot [Our translation of Smith's transcription on the same page]

Passo in traverso

We have a fair bit of evidence for this step:

• In Ippiter, where in this manuscript, Giovannino says, Then all three do three passi in traverso, and the lady goes through their midst,..., in Fl, the author has, The lady passes through [his/its] middle and the men go to the side, they all go one against the other and they do three doppi della tangelosa through the side [Our translation of the original in Smith, Vol. II, p. 175].
• In la Vita, where in this manuscript, Giovannino says, Then all three move and do three passi in traverso, one by one., in NYp, Domenico and Giovano Ambroisio say, They approache one another with three doppi portogallesi beginning with the left foot, the woman passing through the middle. [Smith, Vol. II, p. 297].
• Perhaps the most useful description comes in lo Dimostra, where it says, But be warned that when they do the said passi in traverso, and when in the passo they do that ripresa, in these passi, they must do two of them, that is, one on the left side, and one on the right side. This implies both that a passo intraverso normally contains a single ripresa, and that it can (and in this case does) contain more than one.
• They come in sets of 2 or 3 (or more - see la Villanella, line 12:23:13-15)
• Also in la Villanella, line 12:23:15-17, it specifies in a treccia of passi in traverso, that one should start each step using the opposite hand as foot - implying that which foot one uses changes (and explicitly stating both are used, though not explicitly stating that they are alternating).
• However, in la Franciosetta, line 9:18:12-17, there is a problem with strict foot alternation if this step doesn't switch feet. However, it is worth noting that this may be an issue with the volta di Tromboni rather than with the passo in traverso.
• In la Reale, it states, Then the lady alone moves, and does a passo in traverso forwards, and with three passi back, she returns whence she departed, and stops. This implies that a passo in traverso covers the same distance as three passi
• Smith encounter the adjectival phrase, in traverso, in Giove (Iupiter). He notes An alternative interpretation of traverso might be "to the diagonal," or "to the side (but in the direction of travel)." Traverso = transvers.. [Smith, Vol. II, p. 144, note 2

In all, we take the passage from lo Dimostra as fairly definitive, and use a simple reconstruction similar to a saltarelo tedescho - three passi forwards, and a step to the side - a mezza ripresa This fits everything we have above - except that in lo Dimostra, of course, there is a second step back, making the step almost like a cha-cha.

The one counter-argument we would have against this reconstruction comes from la Vita: The woman then turns to him who is at her right hand, and they give right hands to each other and do three passi with a ripresa; end each returns to his place with another three passi.. In the same place, NYp says, Then the woman takes the right hand of that man who is on the right side and they circle with two doppi gallopati beginning with the left foot, each returning to one's place [Smith, Vol. II, p. 296]. The timing with respect to the music and the parallel with NYp both seem to imply that the three-passi/ripresa sequences takes a single measure - the same time as a saltarello tedescho. Yet if one takes all the correspondences as literal and exact, the fact that NYp uses doppi gallopati instead would imply a difference between the two. However, taking all the correspondences as literal and exact would be a mistake - there are certainly differences between the versions, and a minor substitution of one double for another is certainly no larger a difference than others we see between the two versions.

Ripresa

We get no specific direct information from this manuscript what a ripresa is. In fact, as we will discuss when we get to our timing discussion, we suspect it is used somewhat inconsistently.

We tend to perform this in much the same way as the riprese from the repertoire of Domenico and Ebreo: two steps to the same side, leaving the weight such that one is ready to then go back the other direction.

Ripresa lunga

This step only shows up once, in Non mi parto. It means, literally, a "slow ripresa", and we know little else besides that. It might be an explicit reference to a full (two-step) ripresa (as opposed to a mezza ripresa), or it could be an otherwise normal ripresa that takes more time than usual.

Ripresa under [the left foot]

This step only shows up in Lucretia All the source says is ... with the ripresa under the left foot. The previous step ends with the weight on the let, so we perform this by trying to end that previous step on the left toe, and just stepping left, with the right foot, passing the toe of the right foot under the heel of the left. It's a very small step, and takes some practice to do with balance, and the evidence for the specifics is purely etymylogical - so take it for what it is worth.

Mezza ripresa

Sources:

• Ippiter, linked line and the line following: ... and a mezza ripresa on the right foot. Then they do two passi forwards facing one another with the left foot,...
• lo Dimostra, linked line and the line following: And then he does a mezza ripresa on the right side. And then he does a doppio turning to the left hand and one to the right hand
• A mezza ripresa is almost (but not completely> always part of a Volta di Lasso (though not always labelled as such).

Reverenza

We get no detail about these. We assume, given the existence of the paired reverenzette, that this is roughly like the earlier reverenza of Dominico and Ebreo.

Reverenzetta

These always come in pairs, one forwards, one back. We theorize that a pair of reverenzette is a mid-way point between the reverenza of the early Italian repertoire, and that of the later repertoire.

Continenza

We get no detail on these. We perform them like the continenze of the earlier repertoire of Domenico and Ebreo.

Trapassino

We have a number of data points on trapassini:

• Treccie always use trapassini, in varying numbers, and involve individually covering a fair bit of ground - so trapassini must cover ground.
• In la Vita, where in this manuscript, Giovannino says, Then follows the treccia of eight trapassini where each one returns to his place..., in NyP, Domenico da Ferrara and Giovanni Ambrosio say, They perform a "snake," the one weaving around the other with eight tempi of piva such that each returns to one's place [author taken from: Smith, Vol. I, p. 197. Quote taken from: Smith, Vol. II, p. 298]
• In Ippiter, where in this manuscript, Giovannino says, Then the two stop, and the lady alone does a trapassino, and stops., in Fl, the author says, Then the woman alone performs a tempo of piva, approaching them [Smith, Vol. II p. 176]
• In the Siena version of Partita Crudele, it states, "et poi tre tempi de salterello col trapassino" - "and then three tempi of saltarello with the trapassino" [Smith, Vol. II, p. 231 - thanks to Vivian Stephens for the reference]. At this place in the dance, other manuscripts say (also according to Smith), "They perform three tempi of saltarello beating forward the tempo of the two" - not a particularly clear description. Vivan Stephens has, in her reconstruction of the dance, taken this confusing text to mean that the later two saltarelli are ahead of the beat of the music - a reconstruction in which she has found some confirmation in music [private conversation]. We will also note:
  1. There is a large gap in Siena relative to other versions of this dance following these instructions - so it may be a completely different version of the dance, or it may be a shortened form. Smith describes the manuscript as "... often mere sketches of the required steps and action" [Smith, Vol. 1, p. 197], but the image he gives of the manuscript, on page 198, is hardly that of someone's quick notes - it is exceedingly neat and well-made.
  2. In this quote, "tempi of saltarello" seems to us to refer to muscial time signature, not to the step - otherwise, we would expect saltarello to be plural. We are not, however, intimately familiar with this manuscript, so this could be something this author habitually does differently.
  3. Similarly, "trapassino" is also in the singular. Number (singular or plural) works differently in Romance languages than in English, so while the literal translation implying one trapassino is possible, it is far from certain.
  4. One should also always keep in mind, for any given use of a step (especially an isolated term in a manuscript that otherwise does not use it - though see next note) that many terms that we tend to read as dance jargon may instead be used as everyday words. However, have not yet found a definitive argument for a specific everyday non-jargon translation of trapassino.
  Overall, we find it difficult to get anything useful from this reference, and could probably use it somehow or another to support a host of contradictory hypotheses.
• In the Siena version of Gratiosa, it says, "et poi si pigliano per mano dricta et fanno tre trapassi in volta" - "and then they take one another by the right hand and do three trapassi turning" [Smith, Vol. II, p. 164 - thanks again to Vivian Stephens for the reference].

  Note that here it says "trapassi", not "trapassini" - though that probably makes little difference, it does leave our previous statement about the reference in Partita Crudele being the only one in this manuscript as literally true, if probably factually shaky.

  However, in all other cases so far, we have taken a diminutive to indicate a shortened form of the full step - it seems, for arguments of intellectual consistency and honesty, we should take the non-diminutive form here as indicating a longer version. However, the other versions of this dance say to "circle with three tempi of piva" [Smith, Vol. II, also page 164]. This would seem to indicate that a trapassino would be a fast piva. But a piva is already the fastest step to begin with, so this is somewhat suspect.

  We would instead argue a slightly different usage between the Siena and the Il Papa manuscripts, or perhaps simply inconsistent usage in the Siena manuscript - two slightly different forms of the word, both meaning the same thing.

Trapassini generally come in either even numbers, or in odd numbers followed by a passo. We take these two to be interchangable - when told to do an even number of trapassini, we will generally take the last to be simply a passo

We should note that Smith suggests: Trapassini is probably a variant term for contrapassi [Smith, V. II, p. 203, note 4]. For all the above reasons, and the fact that trapassini pretty clearly change feet, we doubt this interpretation.

While it is much less clear, there is also some link between the trapassino and the spezzato from the later Italian repertoire:

• In Non mi parto, the last figure states: Then they go in a circle backing away from the other two passi, one trapassino, and three passi. This looks very odd to us, in that it has a group of 2 passi and a group of 3, both in close proximity. Perhaps the music is just rather funky here, changing time signatures constantly. But more likely is that the two passi combine with the trapassino to fit one length of music, while the last three passi fit a second. This juxtaposition looks a lot like a seguito spezzato followed by a seguito ordinario.
• In la Villanella, we have: Then all three do in a circle two passi and a trapassino, and they do this same thing together and in a circle, three times. - pretty clearly three seguiti spezzati in a row, and circling.
• In Lucretia, we have the instruction: Then all three take one another by the hand, and do three and a half passi forwards, .... We are hard-pressed to come up with any legitimate interpretation for 3½ passi; sequito spezzato is the only viable interpretation we've come up with.
• In la Reale, we again have the passo passo trapassino sequence, followed by three passi

There is one other similar reference that we have found in the early repertoire: again in NyP, at the start of the section for which there is no corresponding text in PnA, it says, "chon dua passi di natura e uno tenpo di piva e tre pasi di natura" [Smith, V. II, p.10 - again, thanks to Vivian Stephens for pointing us to this reference] - "with two passi di natura and a tempo of piva and three passi di natura". So the Il Papa manuscript would not be the only instance of this step pattern, but it does appear much more commonly there.

Non of this indicates a close and clear tie between this manuscript and the dances of Carosso and Negri - at best, it's just a hint of a link. But it's an intriguing hint.

Volta

The volta suffers from the same problem as the passo, of being both a technical term, and a normal, everyday word. However, in the case of the volta, the choice matters more, as the timing of dances is altered based on which one chooses. We have, therefore, done our best to translate the term when we think it is not a specific step - and this is a possible source of error, both in our translations and our reconstructions.

We should also note that it is unclear if the volta turns 180° or 360°, or if it is even consistent. We have approached this question in our reconstructions on a case-by-case basis, without attempting a consistent interpretation across dances.

It seems generally that the volta is comprised of an even number of steps - either two or four, presumably, not three.

Volta di Lasso

A Volta di Lasso seems to be two mezze riprese, one left, one right, followed by a volta 360° over the right shoulder in two steps, all done in a single measure - it's fast!

Question for ourselves: do we know this is one left, one right? Could it be two left? That would make a certain consistency with the volta di Tromboni, which has three quick meza riprese to the left at the start, and three more to the right at the end.

Volta di Tromboni

This always seems to be used as three riprese to one side, then a volta. It is always followed by three riprese to the other side, but it is unclear whether those later riprese are part of the step or not.

Scempio

What makes a scempio differ from a passo? Sadly, we find few clues to this vital question in this manuscript. However (and see step timings, below), it is usual that scempi come in pairs, and passi tend to come in odd numbers (noting the exceptions that precede trapassini that we think indicate seguiti spezzati, above).

Doppio

While one assumes a doppio means what it usually does, it's nice to get some confirmation: ... and a doppio, that is, three passi (Baramatio, leaf 13, page 25, lines 12-13)

Of course, it's probably not so simple as all that. For instance, dances such as la Vita have both doppi and sequences of three passi, in this dance existing in the same figure. What is the difference between the two? Perhaps nothing - there are certainly instances in the manuscript of the author varying his choice of wording, seemingly solely for variety - or perhaps there is a difference in timing about which we are told nothing.

Step timings

At several points in the text, different people are doing different things at the same time. This can, of course, be used to determine relative timing of steps (assuming they are used consistently). Below are the 13 timing juxtapositions we found in the manuscript:

We also have the following near-coincidences - not different people acting at the same time, but acting sequentially in such a fashion to imply that the same amount of time is taken by each.

Taken all together, this implies the following groups all take the same time: 2 trapassini, 1 doppio, 4 passetti, 5 passettini, 1 volta, 1 passo in traverso, 1 Volta di Lasso