Sarabands

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A genre of dance known for a slow, graceful style often in triple meter, coupled with musical pieces that share this leisurely tempo and historical roots in Spanish aristocracy
2. This dance form features a dignified pace and is often set to compositions that embody a similar measured rhythm, reflecting its origins in courtly traditions of Spain and France
3. A type of dance characterized by its slow and elegant movements that typically occur in triple time, along with musical arrangements that mirror this gentle pace and royal heritage

Etymology: The saraband was a slow, stately dance in triple time, and it had a reputation in its own era that its gentle music does not suggest. Its name, in the form "saraband", arrived in English from Spanish "zarabanda" or the French "sarabande", and the dance itself was prized in the courts of Europe for its dignified, measured steps. Its music followed the same unhurried pace, and composers such as Handel and Bach later built slow movements in this rhythm into their suites. "Sarabands" is simply the plural of "saraband", so it refers to more than one such dance or movement.

Synonyms: dance, ballroom, waltz, tango, gigue