Dance as a Key Element of the Masque in the Royal English Court of King James I

Abstract

The historical aspect of the formation and flourishing of the genre of the English court Masque, which is associated with the period of the reign of the Stuart kings, is considered. The performances of the Masques of the reign of James I of England were financially costly, requiring the joint efforts of the best poets, set designers, composers, musicians, and choreographers. It was found that the court Masque of the era of James I, began with the Antimasque, which was the invention of the leading court poet and playwright B. Johnson. Antimasque is a kind of mirror that reflected the best traditions of ancient Greek pantomime. Antimasque did not imply the presence of actor's remarks. The function of the Antimasque was to contrast, to oppose the highest virtue, which was undoubtedly possessed by the King and the aristocracy, against all sorts of human vices. The Antimasque looked like an amateur show, with obscene dances, caustic humour, whimsical dance figures, ugly costumes and Masques. The confrontation between Masque and Antimasque acquired a moral and social aspect. It is described that French and Italian dance masters had a significant influence on the choreographic performances of English Masques, and Italian dances dominated and were cultivated at the court of James I. The functions of dance in the Masque, which formed the core of the performance, had cementing properties typical for the royal family and its court. The sequence of dances in Masques is established — from the calm and measured (mezher) to the fast and easy: galliard, lavolta, branli, moriski. It was found that the cost of luxurious costumes, Masques, decorations and stage effects, and the services of foreign choreographers approached astronomical figures. It is proved that the epilogue of the court Masque was marked by a joint dance with the audience. This emphasized the secular-spiritual, sacred-ritual significance of the Masque, although the performances of the Masques did not go beyond the generally accepted norms of a society with patriarchal values. The functions of the Masques are substantiated, which were mainly reduced to the demonstration of the wealth and power of England and the assertion of the status of the anointed king of God. The Masques of James I are seen as a dynamic bright spectacle, a phenomenon of the Stuart era. In the future, the choreographic elements in the Masques become a prerequisite for the development of English ballet, and the musical and theatrical elements of the Masques — the prototype of English opera.