Which term is a lively French dance for two performers in triple time?

• A. Madrigal
• B. Gavotte
• C. Galliard
• D. Courante

Answer: (C)

A lively French dance for two performers in triple time is the galliard. This Renaissance duet is performed by a couple and moves with a brisk, energetic tempo in triple meter, often featuring lively leaps and steps that highlight the dancers’ connection. It fits the description of a two-person, upbeat dance in triple time, and it commonly appears in pairs with a slower preceding pavane in a courtly suite.

Madrigal is vocal music, not a dance, so it doesn’t fit. Gavotte is a later French dance, usually in 4/4 and with a different character. Courante is a fast dance from the Baroque era, often in triple time as well, but it is not the two-person dance form that the description emphasizes as uniquely associated with the galliard.