la volta, (Italian: “the turn,” or “turning”) 16th-century leaping and turning dance for couples, originating in Italy and popular at French and German court balls until about 1750.
The dance, to music in 3/4 time, was composed of a series of complex hops, steps, leaps, and turns. In order to assist his partner with her high jumps, the man held her close with his left hand above her right hip, his left thigh against her right thigh, and his right hand firm against the stiff busk below her bosom.
The volta (plural: voltas) is an anglicised name for a dance for couples that was popular during the later Renaissance period. This dance was associated with DescriptionRelations to other dancesReferences in modern cultureReferences