The Royal Library in Brussels had a very special little book on display this weekend: a booklet made of black parchment paper, more than 500 years old. The dacing book was manufactured and written around 1500 for Margaret of Austria. It is said there are only 7 of this kind left in the whole world.
Curator Ann Kelders told the VRT that "you can see the musical scores in golden letters on black parchment. You can see the name of the dance, en a stylish first letter with the choreographic instructions below that."
Research has revealed that the musical scores were for so-called Basses Danses, types of dance in which people did not leap, but moved about without lifting their feet from the ground. They did this in a very stylish way, as can be seen in the video. "Basses Danses did not involve spectacular moves. It is an elegant, static dance in which also courtiers were allowed to take part."
There are only seven copies left of this type of book in the whole world. The Royal Library only puts it on display until Sunday evening, after which it will go back behind lock and key as it is deemed too fragile to be on display the whole time.
