allemande

[ al-uh-mand, -mahnd, al-uh-mand, al-uh-mahnd; French aluh-mahnd ]

noun

, plural al·le·mandes [al, -, uh, -mandz, -mahndz, al-, uh, -, mandz, -, mahndz, a, l, uh, -, mahnd].

1. a 17th- and 18th-century dance in slow duple time.
2. a piece of music based on its rhythm, often following the prelude in the classical suite.
3. a figure performed in a quadrille.
4. a German folk dance in triple meter, similar to the ländler.

allemande

/ almɑ̃d; ˈælɪmænd /

noun

1. the first movement of the classical suite, composed in a moderate tempo in a time signature of four-four
2. any of several German dances
3. a figure in country dancing or square dancing by means of which couples change position in the set

Word History and Origins

Origin of allemande¹

1675–85; < French, short for danse allemande German dance

Word History and Origins

Origin of allemande¹

C17: from French danse allemande German dance

Example Sentences

Three groups of square dancers swung through promenades and allemandes — huffing and sweating to “Free Ride” and “Bad Case of Loving You.”

From New York Times

The strains of an orchestra wafted up to us, a slow allemande.

From Literature

I beefed up my square-dancing vocabulary and moves, adding back in the do-si-do and the allemande.

From Seattle Times

"I want the Tokyo preludes, the Tokyo gigues, the Tokyo allemandes."

From Reuters

While many of the movements are based on traditional Baroque dance styles, only in the Suite No. 4 does Handel adhere to the typical structure of allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue.

From New York Times