Editing Medieval dance (section)

==Couple dances==
[[Image:HeinrichStretelingen.jpg|upright=0.6|thumb|Heinrich von Stretlingen]]
[[Image:Meister der Manessischen Liederhandschrift 003.jpg|upright=0.6|thumb|Hiltbolt von Schwangau]]

According to German dance historian [[Aenne Goldschmidt]], the oldest notice of a couple dance comes from the southern German Latin romance [[Ruodlieb]] probably composed in the early to mid-11th century.<ref>Goldschmidt (1978), ''Handbuch des Deutschen Volktanzes'', p. 95</ref> The dance is done at a wedding feast and is described in the translation by Edwin Zeydel as follows:<ref>{{cite book|title=Ruodlieb: The Earliest Courtly Novel (after 1050)|last=Zeydel|first=Edwin H.|publisher=University of North Carolina|year=1959|pages=110–111}}</ref>

{{Poem quote|the young man arose and the young lady too.
He turns in the manner of a falcon and she like a swallow.
But when they came together, they passed one another again quickly,
he seemed to move (glide) along, she to float.
}}

Another literary mention comes from a later period in Germany with a description of couple dancing in [[Wolfram von Eschenbach]]'s epic poem ''[[Parzival]]'', usually dated to the beginning of the 13th century. The scene occurs on manuscript page 639, the host is [[Gawain]], the tables from the meal have been removed and musicians have been recruited:

{{Poem quote|Now give your thanks to the host that he did not restrain them in their joy. Many a fair lady danced there in his presence.
The knights mingled freely with the host of ladies, pairing off now with one, now with another, and the dance was a lovely sight.
Together they advanced to the attack on sorrow. Often a handsome knight was seen dancing with two ladies, one on either hand.
}}

Eschenbach also remarks that while many of the noblemen present were good fiddlers, they knew only the old style dances, not the many new dances from [[Thuringia]].<ref>{{cite book |last=von Eschenbach |first=Wolfram |date=1961 |title=Parzival |location=New York |publisher=Vintage Books |page=337 |translator-last1=Mustard|translator-first1=Helen|translator-last2=Passage|translator-first2=Charles}}</ref>

The early 14th century [[Codex Manesse]] from [[Heidelberg]] has miniatures of many [[Minnesang]] poets of the period. The portrait of [[Heinrich von Stretelingen]] shows him engaged in a "courtly pair dance"  while the miniature of [[Hiltbolt von Schwangau]] depicts him in a trio dance with two ladies, one in each hand, with a fiddler providing the music.<ref>Joachim Bumke (2000). ''Courtly Culture'', p. 226</ref>