Courento by

method in which the dance is danced

daniela_valentina — 2019-02-25 18:23:30 UTC

The val Varaita courento is a dance performed by couples who arrange themselves in a circle, the men inside, the women on the outside with the left arm on the back of the companion who holds them with his right arm for life. It starts with a walk (meiro), we stop the couples turn in front of each other holding hands and do a ballet with the typical pass of the valley (balar), then some turns (virar), again a balar and a virar, so from the beginning until the melody changes for the balet (final part that closes all the dances) where the riders make a virar with all the ladies of the circle.
In Val Vermenagna the courenta is characterized by a completely different step (each valley has its own specific) compared to that of Val Varaita.

Courento

daniela_valentina — 2019-02-25 18:25:21 UTC

The courenta is a dance spread in the Alpine valleys of the Occitan and Franco-Provençal.
It was mentioned for the first time by Claude Gervaise in his book of dances (1550). Later it is also reported by Thoinot Arbeau (1588) and Thomas Morley.

history

samantadule3105 — 2019-02-25 18:32:27 UTC

Appeared in the century XVI the courenta evolved in the century. XVII passing from Bransle Courant to two distinct dances:
An Italian version, the current (rather lively)
A French version, la courante (slower dance)
Much appreciated by King Louis XIV, who elects her to dance to the opening of the dances, the French courenta disappears during the century. XVIII as indicated in the famous dictionary of Jean Jacques Rousseau. It is in fact replaced by the minuet. The French courenta is more noble and majestic than the Italian version.
The courtyards of the Italian Occitan valleys is a very well-known and widespread dance even outside the Occitan borders, many groups in Northern Italy play these dances in which numerous dancers always participate.

courento

samantadule3105 — 2019-02-25 18:39:25 UTC

Courento

daniela_valentina — 2019-02-25 18:49:23 UTC