Photo of Peter dancing the Volta with Anna Mansbridge

Dancing

Peter Durham researches, teaches, and performs historical dance of Western Europe from the years 1450 through 1651.

Dance Practices

These are evenings sponsored by local SCA groups where Peter teaches social dances from 1450-1651 so that all interested can participate.

1st Thursdays at 7 PM: just south of downtown Kirkland, WA (Email Peter for more details and directions).

3rd Mondays at 7 PM: upstairs at the Madrone Baronial Social at KapKa Cooperative School, 510 N 49th St, Seattle, WA 98103.

Classes

Peter has prepared and taught a variety of classes providing overviews of dance through this period, focus on particular types of dance, and information about the sources. Classes can be customized to meet the needs of your group.

CDs by Jouissance

Courtly Dances of Western Europe 1450-1650 contains branles, balli, almans, country dances, and more.

Dances from the Inns of Court London 1570-1675 contains the eight Old Measures plus two more almans.

Pamphlets with instructions for dances are also available.

Past Performances

22 Oct 2022, 20 Oct 2019, 21 Oct 2018, 22 Oct 2017, 23 Oct 2016, 25 Oct 2015, 26 Oct 2014, 27 Oct 2013, 21 Oct 2012, 24 Oct 2010, 23 Oct 2009, 27 Oct 2007, 29 Oct 2005: Peter performed with other students at the Seattle Early Dance Costume Ball at the Creative Dance Center in Seattle, WA.

17 Nov 2018: Peter and Seattle Early Dance teamed up with Seattle Historical Arts for Kids' Early Music Youth Academy to present dances from Caroso and Negri.

30 Sep - 9 Oct 2016: Peter and the men of Seattle Early Dance performed Buffens at the 2016 festival of Men in Dance. Read the Seattle Weekly review.

17-18 Mar 2018, 12-13 Mar 2016, 13-14 Mar 2010, 20-22 Mar 2009: Peter performed Buffens, la Volta, and other dances with Seattle Early Dance at the ARC Dance Spring Dance events.

15 Nov 2015: Peter performed with Anna Mansbridge at the Mostly Renaissance Early Music Concert at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA.

10 Mar 2015: Peter performed with Seattle Early Dance in A Masque Across Time at Trinity Parish Church in Seattle, WA.

12-19 Jul 2014: Peter was part of the faculty of the Madison Early Music Festival, teaching and performing with Anna Mansbridge at the ball, dance classes, student concert, and concert series performance with Ex Umbris.

4 Mar 2014: Peter performed with Seattle Early Dance in Old World/New World at Trinity Parish Church in Seattle, WA.

6-12 Jul 2013: Peter participated in the Madison Early Music Festival, performing with Anna Mansbridge in her lecture/demo, at the masqued ball, and in the student concert.

1-2 Dec 2012: Peter performed with Anna Mansbridge and Master Chorus Eastside in My Dancing Day: A Renaissance Christmas in Issaquah, WA and Kirkland, WA.

1 May 2012: Peter performed with Seattle Early Dance in The Noble and Necessary Art of Dancing at Trinity Parish Church in Seattle, WA.

10-13 Nov 2011: Peter danced in the Cornish Opera Theater presentation of La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall’Isola d’Alcina.

25-27 Feb 2011: Peter danced in a production of The Indian Queen, a collaboration of Seattle Early Dance, Baroque Northwest, and Early Music Guild. Read the Seen and Heard review.

27 Jun - 3 Jul 2010: Peter attended the San Francisco Early Music Society Medieval & Renaissance workshop, participating in the lecture/demo, faculty concert, student concert, and masque performance.

6 Apr 2006: Peter performed with Seattle Early Dance in Capriole’s Caper, part of the Early Music Guild Early Music Discovery series at Town Hall in Seattle, WA.

20, 21, 28 Jan 2006: Peter was part of the Seattle Early Dance performances with the Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall as part of the Discover Music series.

11 Jun 2005: Peter was part of the Seattle Early Dance performance at the LAUNCH forum at Trinity United Methodist Church in Ballard, part of the Second Saturday Ballard Art Walk.

11-13 Feb 2005: Peter danced the part of a huntsman in the Early Music Guild production of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis, a baroque opera. Performances were at the Falls Theater at ACT in Seattle. Read the Seattle Post-Intelligencer review.

5 Dec 2004: Peter was part of the Seattle Early Dance performance at the Phinney Neighborhood Center Winter Festival.

Past Workshops

25 Jun 2013, 24-25 Jun 2007, 26-27 Jun 2006, 27-28 Jun 2005 and 30 Jun-1 Jul 2004: Peter taught workshops on the Old Measures and on dances from Shakespeare at the Rex McGuinn Shakespeare Conference at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH.

18-19 May 2005: Peter taught workshops on dances from Shakespeare at the Shakespeare Festival at Maranacook Community High School in Readfield, ME.

17 Feb 2005: Peter taught workshops on dances from Shakespeare for students of the Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, CO.

SCA 50 Year Celebration

18 - 25 Jun 2016: Peter taught at the SCA 50 Year Celebration in the European Dance track. Download handouts for the classes: Dances from Shakespeare, My Favorite Galliards, My Favorite Canaries, Mommy, Where Do Dances Come From?, and The Old Measures.

Known World Dance Symposium

Peter has taught at most of the KWDS events since 1997. At KWDS XI in Germany, he taught Beginning Caroso Dances and My Favorite Galliards. He organized KWDS VI in Seattle, which featured three days of workshops, and three evenings of dance. See the event web site for all the details. Peter taught Survey of European Dance Sources or similar classes in 1997, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2012, and 2013.

Days of Dance

These annual SCA events combined four hours of instruction in the afternoon with an evening of dancing to live music. In 2012, we did Day of Dance as a full day track at the Performing Arts Grand Ithra in Bellevue, WA on 17 Nov 2012.

Information about past events:
2010 2010A 2009 2009A 2008 2007 2006A 2005A 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001