The talk will explore how Shakespeare's references and puns were related to the social dancing of his age and also his use of dance as an image of both harmony and disruption. Following new understanding of Shakespeare's innovative practices in the use of masques within his plays, Anne will outline evidence for the choreography in the staging of his plays in his own time and of the existence of a choreographic collaborator

Dr Anne Daye

Dance historian Anne Daye has researched and reconstructed the dances of 16th and 17th century England, France and Italy for many years; her doctoral thesis was on the Jacobean antimasque. Combining theory and practice, she has published widely both in academic publications and in practical collections of dances with their music. A founding member of the Historical Dance Society, she is currently Director of Education and Research.