The History of European Dance Since the 16th century, European dance represented a dichotomy between classes and between local and regional village life and foreign culture. While many countries (England, in particular) went through periods where dance styles of foreign origin, especially France and Italy, were frowned upon, these styles permeated all of Western Europe, enriching and complementing local English dance traditions, and vice versa. Dance remains an evolving art in Europe, and its outside influences come from even further away, nurturing and strengthening a living tradition. Early Dances Early dances included follow the leader dances, partner dances where the man led, couples turned clockwise and the woman stood at the man's right side. Ritual dances and choreography for court masks were common. 16th Century For the first time, dance was considered art. Fabrio Caroso created the first instruction manuals for a series of complex "upper class" dances. Among these were the galliard and volte, a precursor to the waltz. These dances had great impact on England, which fused them with indigenous dances Shakespeare made references to "La Volta" in several of his works.