"Que tambien se yo hacer bailes": Lope de Vega and the dramatic dance

This paper analyzes the significance and consequences of Lope de Vega's status as a legend when it comes to accepting his authorship of a few short plays, given that critics tend to demand extra proof in this matter, sometimes going beyond reasonable philological demands. I will also defend the idea that Lope was an author of dramatic dances, one of the subgenres which critics have always been reluctant to link with his name. To this end, I will cite evidence to prove that 'el Fenix' not only felt an interest in these sort of plays but also composed some which were staged in courtly performances in the early 1630s.