History of the "Morisken" Dance
 

Originally, the Moresca was a Moorish dance with many caprioles and peculiar jumps. In the 15th century this kind of dance spread from North Africa across the southwest of Europe into various other countries.

Once arrived it was interpreted differently, for example it became a symbolic saber dance of Muslims versus Christians in Spain and Portugal ("morisca"). In Italy ("moresca") and Yugoslavia ("moreschka") (maybe update to Serbia these days?) as well as  in England  it became the "Morris Dance" - a dance for the mannish woman, Maiden Marian, a dressed up stick horse, "hobby horse". On the island of Corfu it became a fertility dance. Middle European interpretations of the Morisken Dance in the 15. and 16. centuries are reflected mainly in the illustrations mentioned above, with the dances characterized by bizarre movements being called "Moriska".


This type of dance ranked among the most popular kinds of public entertainment of the time. At festive events it was performed as a so called "intermedium" to interrupt the dancing or as a Shrovetide play called "Morischgentanz". The Morisken dancers, who were represented by hired acrobatic "jumpers", comedians and traveling entertainers, danced in disguise to delight the audience or to boost their own egos.

 

In southern middle Europe the dance often involved a 'beautiful maiden'  who was called "judge", "goddess of luck" or "Queen of May", around who the dancers performed a grotesque courting dance - she was danced around, courted and flattered.

 

Tanz um die Maid

Dancing grotesquely with lots of exaggerated and extravagant jumps each dancer tries to present himself in the best possible way to attract attention. The dancer who performed his role most convincingly in a comical, affected and clumsy way was the winner. As a sign of victory the dancer was presented an apple or a golden ring as a token of love by the beautiful maiden. The illustrations mentioned above also include a dancer dressed up as a jester as well as musicians.

An exact choreography of the Morisken dance does not exist. The French author Thoinot Arbeau (born in 1519), author of the first textbook of dance, gave a description of the Morisken step and similar combinations of steps in his "Orcheosographie des Dances" which appeared in 1588.

 He mentions "foot taps" and "foot markings", grotesque movements where "arms and legs are thrown out of their joints", caprioles and peculiar jumps. Presumably this type of dance depended largely on the individual improvisation skill of each given dancer. He further notes that the dancers present themselves individually, in rows or lines to "high society" audiences most often after the feast.

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