The Original Line Dances - 16th-Century Silliness!

These days, line dances are very popular at DJed social events, from country to pop to hiphop. But this tradition of people dancing in a line, performing exactly the same steps and moves at the same time, dates back to centuries.

In fact, a 1589 publication entitled "Orchesographie" counts among the earliest sources that clearly describe such dances (clearly enough to actually recreate a reasonable reconstruction of the party fun). Written under the pseudonym of Thoinot Arbeau (an anagram of his real name, Jehan Tabourot), this work is a fun socratic dialogue that delves into not only dance, but the social conventions of courtship in 16th century France and so provides a fascinating window into daily social life of the era.

Some of the dances presented are quite serious, while others do not even pretend to take themselves earnestly. Here is a video tutorial that presents one such silly, simple dance, in which the participants pretend to be washerwomen (and washermen), beating the lice out of their laundry and nagging each in the saucy manner for which these hardworking ladies were so renowned. Enjoy stepping back and through time!