A lively French baroque dance in quick 4/4 time, popular in the 17th-18th centuries; also a musical composition written in this style.
From French bourrée, possibly from the town of Bourée in Auvergne or from bour- (rough), referring to the bouncy, vigorous character. The dance traveled to English through European court music.
Bach composed bourrées, showing how French court dances became global classical music—Bach's Bourrée in E minor appears in Guitar Hero, proving 300-year-old dances outlive their original context.
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