The suite (Music for Dancing)

18th century dancers

By the Baroque period (about 1600 to 1750) the basse danse had developed into a musical from called the suite.This is a set of dances played one after the other.
There was no limit to the number of dances,but normally there were four or five.The most popular dances were the allemande,the courante,the sarabande and the gigue.Any extra ones were inserted between the sarabande and the gigue.
In the allemande the dancers linked arms.It was a good dance to begin with because it was not too fast.

The courante used quick running steps.Sometimes it was hard for the dancers to keep up with the music.

After this,the slow,gentle sarabande gave the dancers a rest.The suite usually ended with a fast,lively gigue.

Imfromation from:/More Easy Piano Classics , Caroline Phipps , ISBN 0 - 7460 - 1698 - 0