Verse 1 – All take hands and do a quick Riverenza. Trabuchetto Left, Right, Left, Right, and drop hands. Turn Single Left with two Spezzati, two Passi, and a Cadenza. All face your own left and go four Spezzati around. Face the center and Scambiata Left and Right.
Chorus – Person #1 Turn Left with a Spez and Cadenza, then #2 the same, then #3 the same.
Verse 2 – Person #1 Passi Left and Right, then Cadenza. Trab Left, Right, Left, Right, then do “The Sequence” Left. Then Jousting, #1 going between the other two. Turn at the end and repeat back to places.
Chorus (#1 leading)
Verse 3 – Person #2 do the same.
Chorus (#2 leading)
Verse 4 – Person #3 do the same.
Chorus (#3 leading)
Verse 5 – All face your own left and go a Double and a Spez around. Do The Sequence out to your left. Do the same to the right followed by The Sequence out to your right.
Chorus (#1 leading)
Verse 6 – Fioretti Left and Right, then two Passi backwards. Go two Spez forward, Person #1 passing between the other two, then turn to face each other again. Repeat Fioretti, Passi, & Spez back to places. All go a Hey in 6 Spezzati, #1 passing between the other two and going to the left. End the Hey with two Passi and a Cadenza.
Chorus (#1 leading)
Verse 7 – Trab Left, Right, Left, Right, then four Canarii LRLR. The Figure Left. Do all that to the Right.
Chorus (#1 leading)
NOTE: There are regional variants, such as Canario LRLR instead of Trab LRLR in the solo parts.
The Sequence (L): Ripresa Left, Ripresa Left, Trab Left and Right, Turn Single Left with one Spez, and Cad.
Jousting: Solo dancer face the other two, and with left sides facing. Spez forwards, then backwards, then two more forwards, the Solo dancer going between the other two and all turning to face each other. Repeat.
Riverenza – Staying upright, left foot forward, sweep it back, bend knees, and straighten. (4 beats)
Trabuchetto – (L) Hop onto your left foot, bringing the right foot over to it but not quite touching.
Spezzato – Step forward, bring the other foot almost up to the first one, then settle on the first foot.
Passo – A single step.
Cadenza – Basically a light hop, both feet landing together on the beat.
Scambiata – Step to the side, bring the other foot behind, then lightly hop like a Cadenza.
Ripresa – Step sideways, rising onto your toes, bring the other foot over and lower both heels.
Fioretto – (L) Kick your left foot out a little and bring it back, stamping the left toes, then stamp right toes and left again. Almost looks like one foot is kicking the other out of the way.
Canario – (L) Stamp left foot, then right heel then right toe.
Bella Gioiosa in English Country Dance terms
These are not precise directions, but approximate the steps so ECD dancers can more easily join in.
Verse 1 – All take hands and bow upright with your left foot behind. Hop Left, Right, Left, Right, and drop hands. Turn Single Left with two Skip Steps, two Singles, and a hop. All face your own left and go four Skip Steps around. Face the center and go a Double Left and Right.
Chorus – Person #1 Turn Single Left with a Skip Step and a hop, then #2 the same, then #3 the same.
Verse 2 – Person #1 go a Double forward and hop. Hop Left, Right, Left, Right, then do “The Sequence” to the Left. Then Jousting, #1 going between the other two. Turn at the end and repeat back to places.
Chorus (#1 leading)
Verse 3 – Person #2 do the same.
Chorus (#2 leading)
Verse 4 – Person #3 do the same.
Chorus (#3 leading)
Verse 5 – All face your own left and go a Double and a Skip step around. Do The Sequence out to your left. Do the same to the right followed by The Sequence out to your right.
Chorus (#1 leading)
Verse 6 – Kick Left then Right, then go a Double backwards. Go two Skip steps forward like Jousting, Person #1 passing between the other two, then turn to face each other again. Repeat kicks, Double, and Skip Steps back to places. All go a Hey in 6 Skip Steps, #1 passing between the other two and going to the left. End the Hey with a Double and a hop.
Chorus (#1 leading)
Verse 7 – Hop Left, Right, Left, Right, then kick your left out, tap right toes then left toes. Do the same with the Right foot, then Left and Right again. Do The Figure to the Left. Do all that again to the Right.
Chorus (#1 leading)
Skip Step: Similar to a step-ball change or “Step forward, bring the other foot almost up to the first one, then settle on the first foot.” Think “we’re off to see the wizard.”
The Sequence (L): Hop Left, Hop Left, Hop Left and Right, quick Turn Single Left, and hop into place.
Jousting: Solo dancer face the other two, and with left sides facing. Go a skipping Double forwards, then backwards, then two more forwards, the Solo dancer going between the other two and all turning to face each other. Repeat.
