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| Gavotte dance |
Gavotte is a lively peasant dance native to the Gavots, who were mountaineers of southeastern France. When the gavotte became fashionable in the court of Louis XIV, it was often danced at balls after the minuet. Sets of couples joined hands and formed a circle or chain. After one or two rounds the leading male dancer bowed to his partner, performed a kind of wooing dance in various steps, and then r-turned to his place with her. Then the other couples in the circle or chain followed suit. The steps of the gavotte consisted of quick, leaping motions in a fast tempo and lively rhythm. At the end of the rounds the host's partner handed a bouquet to the person scheduled to hold the next ball. Gluck and the French composers Rameau and Lully composed music for gavottes.
In musical suites the movement called the gavotte is usually placed before or after the saraband.
