Domenico da piacenza biography

Early music and dance enthusiasts will be familiar with the work of authors such as John Playford, who published the series of dance instruction books called The (English) Dancing Master from 1651 onwards, and with Jehan Tabourot, who in 1588 wrote instructions for the dances of his youth under the anagrammatic pen name, Thoinot Arbeau, published in France as Orchésographie in 1589. There is evidence of earlier dancing masters – dance instructors – from the medieval period, but the first to write surviving choreography were in the renaissance of 15th century Italy, and the earliest of these was Domenico da Piacenza (c. 1390/1400–1476/7). This article briefly outlines Domenico’s dance manual of c. 1450, the social context of his dances, his wide influence, and some ways in which his choreography and music notation can be interpreted using one example, La giloxia (Thejealousy), a video of which begins this article.

Recreating medieval dance

The level of difficulty in reconstructing something from a medieval source depends on the surviving material. With paintings

Domenico da Piacenza

1390–1477

Dancing master

The First Dancing Master.

Domenico da Piacenza (c. 1390–1477) is the earliest known dancing master. He was born in Piacenza (northern Italy), and worked in the major northern Italian courts, including that of the Sforzas in Milan and the Este in Ferrara. He wrote De la arte di ballare et Danzare (On the Art of Dancing and Choreography) in 1445, the earliest surviving dance treatise, and taught a number of Italian dancing masters including the other two authors of dance treatises, Guglielmo Ebreo (also known as Giovanni Ambrosio) and Antonio Cornazano. On the invitation of Duke Francesco Sforza, Domenico, along with Guglielmo and Antonio, took part in the elaborate celebration for the wedding of Tristano Sforza and Beatrice d'Este in Milan. A year later he was appointed to the Este court in Ferrara where he was listed as "spectabilis miles" (worthy knight). Other sources refer to him as a Knight of the Golden Spur. He remained in Ferrara until his death 21 years later.

Lasting Influence.

His treatise was taken as the model by

Domenico da Piacenza

Italian Renaissance dancing master

Domenico da Piacenza (c. 1400 – c. 1470), also known as Domenico da Ferrara,[1] was an Italian Renaissance dancing master. He became a very popular teacher with his students – most notably Antonio Cornazzano and Guglielmo Ebreo da Pesaro – who both later became successful dance masters. At a time between 1452 and 1463, he received the Order of the Golden Spur.

Biography

Domenico was born in Piacenza, Northern Italy in around 1400,[2] and was the first known dancing master to have left published dance instructions.[3] He began teaching dance in around 1440 and is believed to have taught elements of dramatic mime and elaborate dance.[2] He taught future dance masters Antonio Cornazzano and Guglielmo Ebreo da Pesaro.[4]

He moved from Piacenza to Ferrara during Leonello d'Este's tenure as marquis of the city between 1441 and 1450.[5] Between 1452 and 1463 Domenico received the Order of the Golden Spur, and is believed to have been knighted by Frederic

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