The term minuet comes from the French words menu (small) and pas (step). This is a slightly modified form of the popular round dance of the province of Poitou. The dance achieved its greatest popularity when it was performed at the royal court under Louis XIV.
Instructions
Step 1
In France, in the 17th-18th centuries, special attention was paid to the costume. Camisole, stockings tied with ribbons, fluffy skirts with frames - all these are attributes of that time. After all, they convey the atmosphere of the dance, giving grace to the movements. Today the minuet belongs to historical dances, but to this day women prefer ball gowns, and men prefer tailcoats.
Step 2
As the name suggests, the minuet is based on small steps. The dance has a certain time signature: 3/4 or 6/8, which is reflected in the accompaniment. Louis Beauchamp, the dance teacher of Louis XIV, offered him a figure in the shape of the letter "S". Dancers and choreographers of that time also described figures in the form of numbers 2, 8. The most popular later became the figure in the shape of the letter Z. It is also performed today.
Step 3
The minuet starts with one pair, or a row of pairs immediately lines up. As a rule, there is an even number of them - 2 or 4. This is the main pattern of the dance, which must be determined in advance. Paired movements begin with a minuet bow. First, the men do it, then the women curtsy.
Step 4
If a man's costume is complemented by a hat, it must be taken off during the curtsy, and during the dance it must be shifted from hand to hand when performing turns. The hand in which the man is holding the hat should be bent at the elbow and located directly behind his back. The minuet then continues with the most popular dance figure, the Z shape.
Step 5
Partners take 3 steps forward with the right foot, moving along the row. Then turn over the left shoulder. Give each other the opposite hand. 3 steps are performed in the opposite direction. Continuing to hold hands, the dancers take two steps forward. The woman takes several steps in an arc, bypassing the partner on the left side. The partner takes one step back, then one step to the left sideways. At the end, they lower their hands.
Step 6
Further, the dancers disperse in small steps to opposite corners. The figure is repeated several times per dance, depending on the length of the composition to which the minuet is performed. At the end, each pair of dancers performs an additional 1.5 rounds before returning to the starting position. The dance ends with a bow from the men. The women curtsy again.
