• Cailtidh nicFhionnlaigh bean Cato (SCA pseud.). "The Teaching of Dance." The Letter of Dance, no. 4 (1990).
  Justin du Coeur: Discusses methods of dance teaching. While the letter is primarily aimed at SCA dancemasters, much of what it discusses is germane to the teaching of folk dance.
  Online version
• Caldwell, John. "Early Keyboard Tablatures and Medieval Dance Theory." In Atti del XIV Congresso della Società Internazionale di Musicologia: Trasmissione e recezione delle forme di cultura musicale, eds. A. Pompilio, D. Restani, L. Bianconi and F.A. Gallo, 681-686. Turin: Edizioni di Torino, 1990.
• Caroso, Marco Fabritio.
  1. Il Ballarino. Venice: Apresso Francesco Ziletti, 1581; reprint, New York: Broude Brothers, 1967.
     Matt Larsen: This particular manual, Il Ballarino, or The Dancing Master, is the first of the Italian manuals of this era to be published. It contains two sections, one on steps and dance manners, and one which contains choreographies. The second section includes eighty dances, with lute tabulature for the accompanying music, as well as scores for some of the dances.
  2. Nobilta` Di Dame. Translated by Julia Sutton. Venice: Presso il Muschio, 1600; reprint, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. ISBN: 0-19-311917- X.
     Matt Larsen: Caroso's second book is a refinement of the first, to the extent that the cover page subtitles it the "Second Edition of the Book Called Il Ballarino." This is in spite of the fact that only some twenty of the forty-nine dances presented in it duplicate dances found in the previous volume. But while it is not a true second edition, there are many additions and refinements to both the "rules" for the steps and the dances themselves. As a result, any reconstruction of one of the dances which appears in both volumes should rely on the second for the definitive version. Even when reconstructing a dance from Il Ballarino which does not appear in Nobilta di Dame, one should examine the step descriptions in the second volume, since they are in general more clear and precise. Julia Sutton's translation makes this one of the more accessible of the sixteenth century Italian sources, but one should be careful not to rely too heavily on it in creating reconstructions, as there are always nuances lost, however good the translation may be.
     Lizbeth Langston: I disagree that "...any reconstruction ... should rely on the second...." While Nobilta' can be useful for clarifying passages in Il Ballarino, the first book must be taken on its own terms, reflecting a dance tradition reaching back towards the middle of the 16th century, as attested by balli d'incerti (dances of uncertain origin) and dances by other, earlier dancing masters.
     If you are interested in dance of an earlier time, use Il Ballarino.
     Note that descriptions of certain of Caroso's step units change between the books. The seguito spezzato is one example, in which the second foot is placed differently: to the instep in Il Ballarino, and to the heel in Nobilta'. In the seguito ordinario, Caroso specifically instructs dancers to finish with the back heel down in Il Ballarino, but allows it to rise in Nobilta'. In spite of what Caroso says, I do not consider the earlier dance and step-unit instructions wrong or "badly made," rather, as an historian, I assume that each book reflects what Caroso thought was correct at the time.
     If you want the most interesting/complicated dance and exact time period doesn't matter, look at all the variations and pick the one you like best.
     Finally, if you are in a situation where historical accuracy is not the highest priority, adapt, mix, interpret, or rechoreograph the originals as much as you want!
  3. Nobilta' Di Dame. Bibliotheca Musica Bononiensis, Ser. II, no. 103., 1600; reprint, Bologna: Forni, 1970. 56. Carreras y Candi, F., ed. 2nd ed. Vol. I,II, Folklore Y Costumbres De Espana. Barcelona: 1934. Includes
     Cervera MS, vol I, p. vii; vol II, p. 303. See entry of original for comments.
  Raccolta Di Varij Balli.... Rome: 1630.
  Matt Larsen: Essentially a reprinting of Nobilta di Dame with a new title.
• Carreras y Candi, F. Folklore y Costumbres de Espana. 2nd ed.
• Cassazza, Joseph (SCA pseud. Giuseppe Cassazza). "Evidence For English Country Dances in the Sixteenth Century." The Letter of Dance, no. 16 (1993): 31-35.
  Justin du Coeur: Lists all 16th references to Playford dances, and discusses what conclusions can be reached based on the scant evidence.
• Castelli, Patrizia, Maurizio Mingardi and Maurizio Padovan. "Mesura Et Arte Del Danzare : Guglielmo Ebreo Da Pesaro E La Danza Nelle Corti Italiane Del XV Secolo." Pesaro: Pucelle, 1987.
  160 p. : ill. (some col.), facsims., ports. ; 28 cm
  Lizbeth Langston: Exhibit catalog to accompany 1987 Ebreo conference [see separate entry]. In Italian. Four articles, profusely illustrated. Thoughts on dance and music in the 15th C. with particular reference to visual materials. This volume is particularly valuable for the well-reproduced illustrations, in color and black and white, of old standards and others not usually seen.
• Cellio, Monica (SCA pseud. Ellisif Flakkingskvinne). "The Return of Spring: A New English Country Dance in the Style of Playford." The Letter of Dance, no. 2 (1989).
  Justin du Coeur: As the title implies, a new English Country Dance, in the relatively early EC style. (ie, sets of couples, instead of lines of couples).
  Online version
• Chadima, Helen Gower. "The Use of Castanets in Baroque Dance." In Proceedings of the Sixth annual conference of the Society of Dance History Scholars, 84-94. Milwaukee, WI: Dance History Scholars, 1983.
• Chazin-Bennahum, Judith. "The Contribution of Jeane-Jacques Rousseau to Ballet (1712-1778)." In Proceedings of the ninth annual conference of the Society of Dance History Scholars, 152-159. Riverside: Dance History Scholars, 1986.
• Closson, Ernest, 1870-1950. Le Manuscrit Dit Des Basses Danses De La Bibliotheque De Bourgogne. Brussels: 1912; reprint, Geneve: Minkoff Reprint, 1975.
  Matt Larsen: Ms in Brussles, Bibliotheque Royale, Ms 9085. Facsimile with introduction and transcription by Ernest Closson. This manuscript includes a short discussion on steps for the Burgundian style of basse dance, which are processional in nature, beginning with a reverence (i.e. bow) and branle, followed by some combination of single steps, double steps, reprises and branles. The most well-known of these dances in the SCA are Dance de Cleves and Fransois Nouvele, both reconstructed from this manuscript. This work includes a list of 59 bassedances, along with music. The music given is only the tenor line, as the musicians were expected to improvise one or two more parts around the base given to the tenor. The introduction by Closson is dated, and has been supplanted by newer scholarship.
  Nathan Kronenfeld: There are also two dances which are not basse dances.
  Online version
• Cochlaus, Johannes. Hie Jnnen sindt geschriben die wellschen tenntz. ca.1517.
  Matt Larsen: Nurnberg Ms. "Hie Jnnen sindt geschriben die wellschen tenntz." Brief,undated (c. 1517) ms. in Nurnberg, Germ. Nat. Mus. (MS 8842). Discussion with facsimile of single page in Ingrid Brainard. "The Art of Courtly Dancing in Transition...";, pp. 61-79. This is a small manuscript, consisting of seven pages. It offers eight choreographies, but no music or description of how the steps are performed is included. Dr. Brainard attributes this source to one Johannes Cochlaus, a German who was at the university of Bologna. The manuscript was apparently compiled for a pair of young ladies in Nurnberg, who desired some knowledge of current fashion in Italian dancing, for use at local dances. Most of the included dances appear in the Italian sources of the period, but this source offers a point of view other than that of a dancing master.
• Collins, Marc (SCA pseud. Guillaume di San Marino). "Book Review: Orchesography." The Letter of Dance, no. 12 (1992): 1-2.
  Justin du Coeur: A review of Orchesography as a dance manual, rather than simply something to be reconstructed.
• Colombo, Carmela and Cesare Negri. La Danza Nel Seicento. Bellinzona: La Vesconta, 1962.
  47 p. 10 plates. 33 cm
• Copeland, Robert. "The Manner of Dauncynge of Bace Daunces." In Dances of England and France from 1450 to 1600, 2-4. New York: Da Capo Press, 1975.
  Matt Larsen: Translation of an unknown French source appended to his publication of a French grammar by Alexander Barclay. The introductory to wryte and to pronounce Frenche. Only copy in Oxford, Bodleian Library (Douce B. 507). This source is very similar to some of the French sources from the fifteenth century, particularly Toulouze, Moderne and the Brussels manuscript, although this source is somewhat more brief. It includes a number of the choreographies which appear in the other sources, although it contains no music and offers fewer choreographies than the French sources. The discussion is also more brief than that in the other sources, but the information which is there is very similar to parts in the others.
• Cornazano, Antonio.
  1. Libro Dell'arte Del Danzare. 1455; reprint, Florence: La Bibliofilia, 1916.
     Matt Larsen: Ms. copy (c.1465) in Rome Biblioteca Aposolica Vaticana (Codex Capponiano,203. About two fifths of the book contains a discussion of the qualities which one needs for dancing, such as Memory, Measure, Manner, Spirit, Variety and Use of Space. These generalities give way to a discussion of tempo and steps, although the step descriptions given are hazy and open to multiple interpretations (as is usually the case with these manuals). The remaining three fifths of the book are given over to descriptions of dances, balli and bassedanza, some of which appear in the other available sources.
  2. The Book on The Art of Dancing. Madeleine Inglehearn and Peggy Forsyth. 1455; reprint, London: Dance Books Ltd., 1981. ISBN: 0-903102-63-3.
     Matt Larsen: This is the first available translation of a fifteenth century Italian treatise, and so is one of the earliest sources easily accessible to most readers. Anyone who is at all serious about fifteenth century dance should obtain a copy, although consultation of the original and other sources in the Italian are a must for any serious reconstruction of the dances. See entry of original for further comments.
  3. Proverbi di messer Antonio Cornazano in facetie. 1865; reprint, Bologna: Forni, 1968.
     facsimile of 1865 edition
• Corti, Gino. "Cinque Balli Toscani Del Cinquecento." Rivista Italiana Di Musicologia 12, no. 1 (1977): 73-82.
  Andrew Draskoy: I think this is transcriptions and commentary on five Italian dances from some 16th century letters. In Italian.
  Ian Engle: Typesettings of 2 Florentine dance mss.
  Lizbeth Langston: Transcription of five dances. "La Caccia" from Firenze, Archivo di Stato: Carte Strozziane Serie I, 22 (1559) and four balletti: "Ruota di Fortuna," "La Bataglia," "La Invlice," and "Adorato Core" from Firence, Biblioteca nazionale ms. Magl XIX, 31. These last four include music strains: transcribed lute tablature and score.
• Crane, Frederick.
  1. "The Derivation of Some Fifteenth Century Basse-Dance Tunes." Acta Musicologica 37 (1965): 179-88.
  2. Materials For the Study of Fifteenth Century Basse Dance. Wissenschaftliche Abhandlungen [Institute of Mediaeval Music], no. 16. New York: Institute of Medieval Music, 1968.
  3. "On Performing Los Estampies." Early Music 7 (1979): 25.
     Ian Engle: Concerns musical performance.
• Cruciani, Fabrizio. Teatro nel Rinascimento Roma 1450-1550. Rome: Bulzoni, 1983.
• Cruickshank, Diana.
  1. Danzare Et Balare, Vol. 1.
     Spiral bound.
  2. Danzare Et Balare, Vol. 2.
     Spiral bound.
  3. Danzare Et Sonare.
     Del (D.Elson): 15th Century Italian Dances, arranged and played by the Longslade Consort. Dances interpreted by Diana Cruickshank.
  4. Selva Amorosa.
     Del (D.Elson): This is a collection of 18 of the dances from Caroso's Il Ballarino (1581) and Nobilta di Dame (1600). The book gives the choreographies, translated and interpreted by Diana Cruickshank. The accompanying cassette tape, played by Scaramella, contains the music for the dances, arranged by Stewart McCoy
• Cunningham, James P.
  1. "The Country Dance -- Early References." Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society 9, no. 3 (December 1962).
  2. Dancing in the Inns of Court. London: Jordan & Sons, Ltd., 1965.
     Dennis Sherman: Includes transcriptions of 4 MSS.
• Cutts, John P. "Jacobean Masque and Stage Music." Music and Letters 35 (1954): 185.
  Ian Engle: Catalogue and commentary.

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