Guglielmo Ebreo da Pesaro


Guglielmo Ebreo da Pesaro was a Jewish Italian dancer and dancing master at some of the most influential courts in Renaissance Italy, including Naples, Urbino, Milan, and Ferrara. His byname ' means simply ‘Hebrew.’ Not always used when referring to him, da Pesaro indicates that he was from the east-central town of Pesaro. Between October 1463 and May 1465, Guglielmo probably converted from Judaism to Roman Catholicism and took the name Giovanni Ambrosio'.
He studied with Domenico da Piacenza in the 1440s, and is mentioned in Domenico's Liber ballorum.
Around 1463, Guglielmo authored the treatise De pratica seu arte tripudii, sometimes cited as Trattato dell' arte del ballare''. In it, Guglielmo defends dancing as a noble art, emphasizing the important role of music. He also describes qualities necessary for dancers, including posture, musicality, style, and memory, and provides first-hand accounts of massive court celebrations in which he played a role. The treatise contains choreographies and music for thirty-six dances by Guglielmo and his contemporaries.

Conversion to Roman Catholicism

His patron and friend Alessandro Sforza convinced Guglielmo to convert to Roman Catholicism. Alessandro Sforza was a very religious man, but perhaps also influenced Guglielmo ability to access the dignity of Knight. Between 1463 and 1465 he was baptized and took the name of Giovanni Ambrogio.
In honor of Alessandro Sforza's daughter, Ginevra, Guglielmo composed a bassadanza in due. In 1465 he moved to Milan, where he was in charge of the celebrations for the wedding of Eleonora d'Aragona with the Duke of Bari.