A contemporary image of the White Dove shown in traditional weeping modeThe recent rediscovery of detailed documentation of the famous White Dove ritual dance has finally enabled dance historians to effectively locate it within the long tradition of syncretic miming dances tracing back to the well-documented branle subgenre of sixteenth century France and perhaps best considered in light of the later tradition epitomized by the early nineteenth century French chicken dance (La Poule), as suggested by its subtle incorporation of the pas de basque setting step.
Careful evaluation of the elaborate sequences of the dance and the skill required to mesh them with the irregularly structured traditional music that has been handed down to us indicates that this was no amateur social dance. Performance of the ritual was likely limited to a dedicated corps of acolytes who underwent significant training and rehearsal prior to public performance in specially designed costumes, culminating in the metaphysical liberation of the soul, as symbolized by the release of white doves at the climax of the dance and the subsequent embodiment of the dove via the emulation of the motion of its wings by the corps.
While it is generally accepted that the tune of the White Dove dance originated in the Netherlands, the international transmission of the performing arts is evidenced by the undeniable fact that the first known lyrics were written in English, and the surviving documentation of the dance is associated with a rendition in Spanish. As the lyrics and the complex code concealed within them and the symbolism of the Weeping Dove have been extensively analyzed elsewhere, and the details of the traditional costumes are beyond the scope of my studies, I will focus here on the practical performance of the elements of the dance and the required sequence matched to the music. The dance elements may be divided as follows: