Rigaudon
Description
It originates from a folk dance form from the region of Provence, from where it found its way to French courts in the second half of the 17th century. A lively and merry dance, similar in tempo and character to the gavotte.
After a brief presence in ballrooms, the rigaudon found its way into the repertoires of operas and ballets, where it flourished in the first half of the 18th century before disappearing by the end of it. It is described by dance masters of the period as a dance with lively, varied steps, of a lively and cheerful character. Its basic step is the pas de rigaudon, which fits into two bars and consists of demi contretemps, chassé, assamblé and sauté, i.e. a jump in the first position. After the disappearance of the rigaudon from the dance repertoire, its step (pas de rigaudon) performed in French contredans is preserved. The rigaudon compositions appearing in ballets and operas of the 18th century were intended for roles close to its rustic, somewhat rubbishy character, i.e. for peasants and sailors. The best-known composition written in Feuillet’s system is Rigaudon des Vaisseaux.
Bibliography
- Conté Pierre, Danses anciennes de cour et de théâtre en France, Paris, 1974.
- Drabecka Maria, Choreografia baletów warszawskich za Sasów, Kraków, 1988.
- Larousse-Bordas, Dictionnaire de la danse, Paris, 1999