Curtsy

A curtsy (also spelled curtsey or incorrectly as courtsey) is a traditional gendered gesture of greeting, in which a girl or woman bends her knees while bowing her head. In Western culture it is the feminine equivalent of bowing by males, although men will commonly curtsy in some churches as a simplified genuflection.

Queen Mary of Denmark (then Crown Princess of Denmark), curtsies to King Charles III, 5 May 2023.

Michelle Obama and a girl curtsying – one leg ahead of the other with both legs bent. The heel is up for the back leg. The back leg crosses the front leg.

A young girl presenting flowers to Queen Elizabeth II outside Brisbane City Hall in March, 1954.

Miss Manners characterizes its knee bend as deriving from a "traditional gesture of an inferior to a superior."^[1] The word "curtsy" is a phonological change from "courtesy" known in linguistics as syncope.

Overview

In more formal variants of the curtsy, the girl/woman bends the knees outward (rather than straight ahead), often sweeping one foot behind her. She may also use her hands to hold her skirt out from her body.

It is also acceptable in some cultures for the female to curtsy if wearing trousers or shorts.

History

The origins of the curtsy can be traced back to royal court customs in Medieval Europe, evolving alongside the bow as a sign of feudal allegiance and respect.

By the Elizabethan era (1558–1603), court etiquette grew increasingly elaborate. While men were expected to perform deep bows or kneel in deference, women began adopting the curtsy as a gendered alternative, often assisted by the wide farthingale skirts which emphasized the downward motion.^[2][3] According to Desmond Morris, the motions involved in the curtsy and the bow were similar until the 17th century, and the sex differentiation between the actions developed afterwards. The earlier, combined version is still performed by Restoration comedy actors.^[4]

By the 1600s, during the Baroque era the curtsy became more widely codified in French and English royal court life, particularly under monarchs like Louis XIV and Charles I. At the Palace of Versailles, rituals of etiquette including deep curtsies to royalty were embedded into daily life as part of a strict court hierarchy.^[3]

In 18th-century Britain, during the Georgian era, the curtsy had become a standard part of feminine etiquette. Girls from aristocratic and upper-middle-class families were trained in deportment schools, where curtsying was taught alongside posture and comportment.^[5][6]

In the Victorian era, when women wore floor-length, hooped skirts, they curtsied using the plié movement borrowed from second-position in classical ballet in which the knees are bent while the back is held straight. Both feet and knees point out so the torso lowers straight down. This way, the lady lowers herself evenly and not to one side. Traditionally, women and girls curtsy for those of senior social rank just as men and boys bow. Today this practice has become less common. In Victorian courts, the curtsy was done as a signal for courtship availability, and social status dominance or submissiveness, in order to be successful socially.^[7] Further, some female domestic workers curtsy for their employers.

Royalty

In royal protocol, the curtsy retains a formal and symbolic role. Women are often expected to curtsy when meeting monarchs or members of the royal family. The rules of curtsying in such contexts vary depending on country, rank, and the specific expectations of each royal household.^[8][9]

During her coronation, Queen Elizabeth II performed a curtsy, or rather a half-curtsy, half-neck bow to King Edward's Chair.^[10]

During the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales the Queen bowed her head in a half-curtsey as the Princess's coffin passed her.^[11]

• 
  French tennis player Suzanne Lenglen curtsying to Queen Mary in 1926.
• 
  A Dutch woman curtsying to Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, 1964.
• 
  The wife of Australian politician Walter Cooper curtsying to Queen Elizabeth II, 1954.
• 
  The wife of then-Prime Minister of Thailand Abhisit Vejjajiva curtsying to Hassanal Bolkiah, 2009.
• 
  Princess Charlene of Monaco curtsying to King Charles III.
• 
  Carrie Johnson, wife of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, curtsies to Charles, Prince of Wales, 2022.

Dance

By the Baroque era curtsy also plays a significant role in dance, both as a performative gesture and a part of formal etiquette in the dance world. Dance masters and etiquette instructors taught noble girls to perform "reverences" (French for curtsy), often in tandem with social dancing lessons.^[3]

Female dancers often curtsy at the end of a performance to show gratitude or to acknowledge applause from the audience. At the end of a ballet class, students will also curtsy or bow to the teacher and pianist to show gratitude. According to Victorian dance etiquette, a woman curtsies before beginning a dance. Female Scottish highland dancers performing the national dances and the Irish jig also curtsy (at both the beginning and end for the national dances and at the end for the Irish jig). Some female ballroom dancers will curtsy to their partners before beginning the Viennese Waltz.

It is also common for female square dancers to curtsy as a method of greeting their male dance partners prior to the dance, while her partner bows. This square dancing practice is called "Honor your partner." Female cloggers also sometimes curtsy at the end of their performance.

It is customary for female figure skaters to curtsy at the end of their performances at figure skating competitions or shows.

The "Texas dip" is an extreme curtsy performed by a Texan debutante. The young woman slowly lowers her forehead towards the floor by crossing her ankles, then bending her knees and sinking. The escort's hand is held during the dip. When the debutante's head nears the floor, she turns her head sideways, averting the risk of soiling her dress with lipstick.^[12]

See also

• Partial squat