Life
His entire creative arc, from training to full maturity, unfolded consistently within the period of Mannerism, of which he was a fundamental dance theorist.
Marco Fabrizio Caroso was born in Sermoneta between 1526 and 1531. Protected by the Caetani family, he moved to Rome, where he spent most of his career as a dance master, choreographer, and composer. His fame was primarily linked to the ladies of noble Roman families, to whom he dedicated many of his dances.
He is famous for his two dance manuals, Il Ballarino (Venice, 1581) and Nobiltà di Dame (Venice, 1605), which describe over a hundred types of dances, accompanied by music and instructions on the steps. These works constitute an indispensable source for the knowledge of Italian Renaissance dance and were used until the third decade of the 17th century.
The first manual also received praise from Torquato Tasso, who dedicated a sonnet to him that was later republished in Nobiltà di Dame. Caroso died after 1605, probably in Rome, leaving a lasting mark on the art of Renaissance dance and music.
Aneddoto
A Sonnet by Tasso
Torquato Tasso wrote a sonnet in honor of Caroso, published in his work Nobiltà di Dame, a testimony to the esteem the poet held for the choreographer.Works
Caroso's principal works are the two treatises Il Ballarino (1581, Venice) and Nobiltà di Dame (1605, Venice). These manuals, in addition to offering the dance scores, contain rules of behavior, etiquette, and descriptions of court ceremonies, becoming precious tools for the study of the Renaissance.