After a long break due to the major Rothenfels Symposium, we have once again put together a series of exciting presentations for our next online conference in 2027. This time, we’ve slightly broadened our horizons and will also take a look at the history of dance outside the German-speaking world.

First, we’ll hear about dancing children and their world on stage in the French court ballet; then we’ll travel to Halle to delve into Friedrich Gottlieb Nagel’s contra dance booklets from the mid-18th century. In the next presentation, we’ll learn how German contra dances made their way as far as Norway. We’ll complete the day with a look at some Austrian folk dance forms, which are the descendants of those early contra dances.

The second day begins with a fresh look at the step descriptions found in Italian dance sources from around 1600. The next lecture takes us into the world of the Erzgebirge mines and tells us about the festival and dance culture of the “Knappen” (miners). From the depths of the mine tunnels, we then ascend to the heights of the 19th-century ballet stage, accompanying the famous ballerina Flora Fabbri on her 1852 tour of Germany. Finally, we’ll enjoy an interview with Pierre François Dollé, who will discuss his work on opera productions at the intersection of tradition and modernity.

Each day will be rounded off with a panel discussion with the respective speakers.

The contributions will be recorded and will be available on YouTube for one month for registered participants.

The presentations will be in German, but this time we are offering the Zoom feature for translated subtitles (available as desired in English, French, Italian, or Spanish, for example).

• via internet platform Zoom
• Presentations in German with automatic subtitles,
  translation into multiple languages
  
  
• Attendance free of charge,
  donations are very welcome.
  (e.g. 20 - 30 €)
  
  

• Registration mandatory,
  limited number of attendants
• Registered participants will have the opportunity to watch
  recordings of the presentations on our YouTube channel
  for four weeks after the conference.

Sat, 4:00–4:10 p.m.
Welcome and Technical Matters

Welcome to the participants, followed by a brief introduction to the day’s topic.

Moderators: Birte Hoffmann-Cabenda, Giles Bennett, Markus Lehner
Technical Director: Roy Cabenda

Sat, 4:10–4:50 p.m.

Children Dancing in French (Court) Ballet

In the 17th and early 18th centuries, children appeared time and again in French court ballets as well as in ballets performed by purely professional dancers. These children included both aristocratic children and those from families of artists and acrobats. In both cases, they had to learn early on how to hold their own on the social or professional stage. Dramatic and performative necessities—such as playing with differences in size or portraying Cupid, cherubs, demons, satyrs, or genies, as well as “dwarfs” or simply children as children, as they often appear in village weddings—also necessitated their presence, although they were often not named. Illustration: 'Ballet Royal de la Nuit', libretto, 1653

Gerrit Berenike Heiter, Paris/Cologne

Gerrit Berenike Heiter is currently working on her cumulative dissertation project in theater studies at the University of Vienna. Her research focuses on European printed materials on dance from 1573 to 1717. She teaches dance history at the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts. In her artistic work as an actress, dancer, and educator, she has specialized in physical and mask theater, Commedia dell’arte, Baroque theater, and historical dance. In addition to participating in Baroque musical theater projects, she appears in contemporary productions that straddle the intersection of dance, music, performance, and theater. Foto: © Sarah Robine

Sat, 5:00–5:40 p.m.

"Denen Liebhabern der Tantz-Kunst" - Friedrich Gottlieb Nagel and His Dance Booklets

Friedrich Gottlieb Nagel (1727–1791), who served as a dancing master at Friedrichs University in Halle during the second half of the 18th century, published several collections of dances in the 1760s, mainly featuring Anglaises, but one also included cotillions. This lecture aims to introduce the author and his booklets and, with the help of video examples, provide insight into the dance material they contain. Image: Wikimedia Commons, Masked Ball in Halle, c. 1750

Birte Hoffmann-Cabenda, Wedel

Birte Hoffmann-Cabenda holds a degree in mathematics and is a dance instructor. She has decades of experience teaching and reconstructing dances from past eras, ranging from the 15th to the early 20th century. She leads the “Rossina” dance group in Hamburg, regularly conducts workshops, and serves as a dance master at historical balls both in Germany and abroad. In addition, she researches the lives of various dance masters from the 18th and 19th centuries. Photo: © Birte Hoffmann-Cabenda

Sat, 5:40–6:00 p.m.

Break

Sat, 6:00–6:40 p.m.

"West Coast Country Dance": Characteristische Englische Tänze in Bergen, Norway

The dance book Characteristische Englische Tänze by Friederich Wilhelm Weis (1744–1826) is one of the few collections of 18th-century English country dances that have been preserved in Norwegian archives. This copy was translated from German into Danish and is written in beautiful handwriting with colored dance notations. It is difficult to say exactly how it ended up in Bergen, Norway. Nevertheless, its existence attests to the spread of dance descriptions from Germany to the Nordic countries and contributes to our understanding of dance practices in Norway during the 18th century. Photo: Bergen University Library, The Special Collections

Elisabeth Svarstad, Oslo, Norway

Dr. Elizabeth Svarstad is a dance researcher at the Norwegian Center for Traditional Music and Dance in Trondheim, Norway. She holds a Ph.D. in dance studies from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), a master’s degree from the Nordic Master’s Program in Dance Studies, and a bachelor’s degree in dance from the Norwegian Ballet Academy. As a specialist in Baroque dance, she works as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher of historical dance. She is the editor of the journal 'Music and Tradition' and a member of the editorial board of the 'Nordic Journal of Dance'. Photo: Nicolas Tourrenc

 Sat, 6:50–7:30 p.m.

Contradances in the Austrian Tradition

Agattanz, Maschkeratanz, Scharutscha, Tampet/Tempête, …
The Austrian folk dance repertoire includes several contra dances, even though we certainly cannot be considered the “heartland” of multi-couple dances. However, these dances usually hold a special place: The forms adopted from bourgeois dance could be associated with Carnival customs or used as dances of honor. The Tampet/Tempête, known from the North German tradition, on the other hand, has made its way “back” onto the Viennese dance floor. Drawing on several examples, this article illustrates the function and evolution of these dances throughout the history of folk dance preservation in Austria. Photo: @VolkstanzinOesterreich: Tampet

Else Schmidt, Wien, Austria

Else Schmidt was born in Vienna and grew up immersed in the Austrian folk dance tradition. She studied music and mathematics, as well as piano pedagogy. She is the chair of the Vienna Folk Dance Association and vice chair of the Federal Association of Austrian Folk Dance. As an educator, she is particularly dedicated to teaching dance and music.

At the Institute for Folk Music Research and Ethnomusicology at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, she holds a teaching position for a movement and dance practicum that introduces aspiring music teachers to various dance traditions. She is also active in dance research. Photo: Herbert Zotti

Sat, 7:40–8:00 p.m.

Summary of the Day

The day’s speakers will meet with the moderators for a concluding discussion on the conference topic. This will provide participants with another opportunity to ask questions and engage in conversation with the speakers.

Moderators: Birte Hoffmann-Cabenda, Giles Bennett, Markus Lehner

Sunday, 4:00–4:10 p.m.

Welcome and Technical Matters

Welcome to the participants, followed by a brief introduction to the day’s topic.

Moderators: Birte Hoffmann-Cabenda, Giles Bennett, Markus Lehner
Technical Director: Roy Cabenda

Sunday, 4:10–4:50 p.m.

„Auf welsche Art“ – Notes on Italian-Style Dance Steps Around 1600

The “Welsch,” i.e., Italian, Renaissance dance style was not unknown in German-speaking regions. As early as 1507, there are reports that the humanist and Nuremberg councilman Willibald Pirckheimer also danced Italian-style during Carnival, and in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a number of Italian dance masters were active at the Austrian princely courts. Evaristo Papazzone’s manuscript of galliards (1575), for example, dates from his time at the court of Rudolf II. Numerous “Welsch” dance pieces can also be found in German music prints of the period. The textbooks by F. Caroso, C. Negri, and E. Santucci provide valuable insight into this style, but even after more than 50 years of research, many details regarding its reconstruction remain unclear. This presentation takes another look at some of the most important questions regarding the reconstruction of the step repertoire and proposes possible solutions. Image: Wikimedia Commons, Ballerini Milanesi