Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which five Renaissance dance steps were represented by letter abbreviations?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
dance notation
Comparison of five systems of dance notation. (A) Starting position: stand with feet together. (B) Step forward on the right foot (count 1). (C) Land to the left, feet together, knees bent (count 2).
During the Renaissance, letter abbreviations were used in Italy, France, and Spain to record the popular basse danses. The five well-known steps represented by these abbreviations were:
- R: révérence
- s: simple
- d: double
- b: branle
- r: reprise
These abbreviations allowed for the composition of dances through various sequences and arrangements of these specific movements.1