Location:

  1. University of Alabama,

  2. Tuscaloosa, AL [map]

  3. Rowand-Johnson Hall


Schedule:

  1. 10:00 am - Classes begin

  2. 1:00 pm - Lunch break

  3. 2:00 pm - Classes resume


  5. Classes will continue until we run out of energy or get thrown out.

Are you looking for a chance to learn some new dances or brush up on the ones you already know? Are you a local dance master in search of something new to teach? Are you just looking for an excuse to have fun?


Where is it?

The Incipient Shire of Okeborne Keep is hosting an all day dance practice, open to one and all. Classes will be taught in air conditioned classrooms on the University of Alabama campus (see sidebar for details). Garb is optional, though we recommend wearing the shoes you normally dance in at events. This is not an official SCA event, and there is no fee or waiver required.


If you are planning to attend, please RSVP so that we can get an idea of how many people will be there.


What will be going on?

The goal of this practice is to provide a chance to learn some of the dances you’re likely to run across at a revel. All steps will be taught, and the level of overall complexity will be low. It is intended as a day trip, but if you are coming from far away you can find some local hotels here.


There is no predetermined schedule of classes, though we plan to cover the major dance styles commonly found in SCA dancing (bransles, English country dance, Italian dances, basse danse, etc.). Most of the dances will be drawn from those listed here (210kb .pdf), though there may be others. We will plan to use recorded music, though there will be sheet music on hand if we have any live musicians. During the lunch break, a class will be taught discussing the various dance styles and their historical context.


Potential Classes:

  • Basic Steps (singles, doubles, and finding the beat)

  • The Old Measures and Gresley (Queen's Alman, Old Alman, Black Alman, Ly Bens Distonys)

  • Bransles (Simple, Mixed, and Mimed)

  • 15th Century Italian (Petit Riense, Amoroso, Rostiboli Gioioso, Lauro, Chirintana)

  • 16th Century Italian (Ballo del Fiore, Contrapasso in Due, Villanella)

  • English Country Dance (Heart's Ease, Millison's Jegge, If All the World Were Paper, Gathering Peascods)


Who should I contact?

The classes will be organized by Lord Lorenzo Petrucci. If you have any questions or have something you would like to teach, please feel free to send an email. If you have questions about the site, please contact Lord Sven Egilson.