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Glite Dictionary
saraband

saraband

1 9.9
A slow formal dance in three beats or the music for that dance
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛrəˌbænd/
  • Archaic
translation icon : sarabanda
  • First the jig and the quadrille, then the saraband: the group dances.

Examples

  • The elegant couple glided across the floor, performing a beautiful saraband at the gala.

  • Saraband moves like a baroque suite, a twosome stately court dance (a saraband) organized in advance in a fixed fashion.

    Academic text (2009)

  • As the orchestra played the lively tune, everyone eagerly anticipated the traditional saraband celebration.

  • During the historical festival, the dancers showcased a series of dances, including a graceful saraband.

Synonyms

sarabande
vssaraband
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A slow, formal dance or musical piece in triple time from the Baroque period

means the same dance but uses an alternate spelling linked to 17th and 18th centuries

Surface Forms

saraband singular
sarabands plural

Etymology

Saraband comes from Spanish zarabanda, which was once a 'lively' folk dance from Spain and the Americas. Over time musicians in European courts slowed and smoothed it into a noble dance, so today a saraband is a slow, stately dance (and the music for it) usually in three beats.