A lively Renaissance dance of German origin, also spelled 'allemande,' often featuring jumping and energetic movements.
From the adjective 'almain' (German), the dance was named after its cultural origin. The term became associated with this particular dance style in Renaissance courtly contexts.
The almaine was basically the Renaissance equivalent of a mosh pit—nobles at court got wild jumping around to this German dance, and it scandalized conservative observers who thought all that hopping was undignified!
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