La Belle Dame

A tribute to Francine Lancelot - 2011

A dancer, choreographer, pedagogue and researcher, Francine Lancelot played a major part in the French rediscovery of 17th century “belle danse”.

This production is an invitation to navigate between a selection of her choreographies (La Gavotte et ses doubles, Les Caracthères de la danse), to discover the repertoire she admired so: ball dances (Pécour’s Passepied, Feuillet’s La Patelotte…) as well as theatre dances (Pécour’s Le Rigaudon des vaisseaux).

“Francine initiated me to the belle danse; she guided me through my work as a choreographer.

Together, we gave dancing lectures and co-signed a number of choreographies. I had the priviledge to be her assistant right from the early stages of Atys and through all its revivals. This event, planned with her in mind, is a humble way to share our dues to this Fair Lady.”

Béatrice Massin, February 2010

La Belle Dame will be at the heart of a DVD entitled “Précis interactif de la danse baroque: une danse à écouter, une musique à voir” (“Interactive treaty of baroque dance: a dance to listen to, music to watch”) Béatrice Massin is currently working on with the Atelier baroque.

This unique item will offer an opportunity to see and hear dances and musical pieces which played an essential part in the history of Western arts.

These never-before-released works will be available to a vast audience as a testament to the richness of baroque dance and to the way its language may be used as a contemporary creative matter through the example of Béatrice Massin’s work (DVD bonus track).