Branle des Chevaulx

(Horses Branle)

Branle

Arbeau, Orchesography

Longways for as many couples as will

Beginning


I			Begin holding both hands with partner
	A	1-8	Double up and back (do branle doubles to mens' left, womens' right)	Double to left. Double to right.	Double a gaul. Double à droit.
		9-16	Double up and back	Double to left. Double to right.	Double a gaul. Double a droit.
		17-24	Double up and back	Double to left. Double to right.	Double à gaulche. Double à droit.
		25-32	Double up and back	Double to left. Double to right.	Double a gaulche. double à droit.
	B	1-2	Men: 2 Taps of right foot	Two taps of the right foot by the man. (During these taps of the foot & the turn the man makes, the lady doesn't budge.)	Deux tappements du pied droit par l’homme. (Pendant ces tappements de pied, & le tour que l'homme fait, le feme ne bouge.)
		3-4	Men: Single right (moving up ½ position)	Right foot wide. Feet together. (These two steps make a single to the right.)	pied largy droit. pieds ioincts. (Ces deux pas font simple a droict.)
		5-8	Men: Double left turning a full circle left (still up ½ position)	Left foot wide. Right foot approached. Left foot wide. Feet together. (During these four the man does a turn to the left hand.)	Pied largy gaulche. Pied droit approché. Pied largy gaulche. Pieds ioincts. (Pendant ces quatre pas icy, l'homme fait un tour a la main gaulche.)
			Since in this reconstruction the men move up and the women move down, the first man will soon be without a partner. Over the next 8 counts, the first man goes to the bottom of the set to be ready to start the next repeat of the dance with the last woman, who will also be without a partner.
		9-10	Women: 2 Taps of right foot	Two taps of the right foot by the woman. (During these taps of the foot & the turn that the woman makes, the man doesn't budge.)	Deux tappements de pieds driot. par la femme. (Pendant ces tappements de pied, & le tour que la femme fait, l'homme ne bouge.)
		11-12	Women: Single right (moving down ½ position to next man)	Right foot wide. Feet together. (These two steps make a single to the left.)	pied largy droit. pieds ioncts. (Ces deux pas font simple a gaulche)
		13-16	Women: Double left turning a full circle left	Left foot wide. Right foot approach. Left foot wide. Feet together. (During these four steps, the woman makes a turn to the left hand).	Pied largy gaulche. Pied droit approché. Pied largy gaulche. Pieds ioincts. (Pendant ces quatre pas, la femme faict un tour a la main gaulche.)

II			Repeat as desired	This done, the dancers take back the two hands, and reiterate to the beginning.	Ce fait, les danceurs se repreignent par les deux mains, & reiterent comme au commencement.

Reconstruction based on the dance as taught in Carolingia. Translation by Peter Durham.

Notes

Reconstruction. The Horses branle provides a puzzle to dance reconstructors, as there are instructions to take both hands with one's partner, which is incompatible with the common form of a long line or circle of dancers like its neighbors in Orchesography. Some ignore the two-hand instruction to retain the classic branle formation; some dance as two-dancer circles, and some choose a reconstruction like this which forms a line of couples. In the latter case, some reconstructors add the element of progression, which makes the dance quite enjoyable, though there is little support for it in Arbeau.