Renaissance Footnotes is the performance name of the Basingstoke Early Dance group.

We practice and perform the social dances of the period between 1450 and 1650. The group was started in 1991 by people from a number of historical recreation societies (English Civil War Society, White Company, Sealed Knot, etc.) who were interested in learning the dances of the periods in history which those societies portrayed. The group has steadily grown since then, as well as branching out a little to add domestic living history events and feast and banquet catering to our list of activities.

Because we cover a period of over 200 years there is a wide range of dances for us to choose from, some easy some difficult. The simpler dances include the English Country Dances taken from John Playford's English Dancing Master of 1651, and the Pavans and Branles of sixteenth century France. In the middle of the scale are the Basse Dances of fifteenth century Italy and Burgundy, and the fifteenth century Italian Ballo. At the more challenging end of the scale are the late sixteenth century Italian Balletti meticulously recorded for us by the dancing masters Caroso and Negri.

See the events page for details of the variety of events we can provide, and here for more information for potential bookers

To find out more about us or book us then please contact Robert Huggett Comments on this web page or feedback on one of our events should be sent to the Basingstoke Early Dance webmaster This page last updated on February 11, 2008.