Everybody Dance Now. Image, Text and Social Order in the Long Fifteenth Century

In the fifteenth century, in the southern part of the Holy Roman Empire, dancing was cause for celebration and concern. Images of dancers in an array of media fall into two general categories: representations of roundelay chain dances and renderings of so-called Moresca acrobatic performances. On first glance, the two image types might appear to have little to do with one another. But examination of artworks depicting dance in tandem with a range of types of Middle High German texts—moralising Christian treatises, entertaining farces, and administrative ordinances—reveal a mounting awareness that hip-shaking and vigorous twirls of performers might inspire partygoers to get rather boisterous on the dance floor. Reviewing renderings found in sculpture, wall paintings, illuminations and prints, this article examines how images of dancers might be deployed to reign in, but also to inspire, footloose fun.