branle, 12th-century French chain dance adopted (c. 1450–c. 1650) by European aristocrats, especially in France and in England, where the word branle was anglicized as “brawl.” Named for its characteristic side-to-side movement (French branler, “to sway”), the branle was performed by a chain of dancers who alternated large sideways steps to the left (frequently four) with an equal number of smaller steps to the right. Thus the chain, usually of couples intertwining arms or holding hands, progressed to the left in a circle or serpentine figure. Branles were danced with walking, running, gliding, or skipping steps depending on the speed of the music, which was composed in 4/4 time.
Aristocrats frequently performed pantomimic branles in which they scolded each other like washerwomen or courted (as in the branle de Poitou, the possible ancestor of the minuet). Certain branles, especially in France, were designated for specific age groups, such as the lively branle de Bourgogne for the youngest dancers.