\paperw19995 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 Religious feast days provided people with an opportunity to rest and to hold celebrations and festivals. The sacred and prof
ane were mixed in the popular tradition, resulting in games and spectacles that involved every level of society. A common figure at noble courts was the jester or buffoon, who sometimes received substantial rewards for his services. One of his roles was
to provide entertainment at the sumptuous banquets that were held to celebrate an event or in honor of a guest. Drama was also highly appreciated by the nobility, who attended private performances at the court theater. Meanwhile, public theaters became m
ore widespread, and were used to stage shows catering to more popular tastes. A favorite amusement in every social class and every part of the world was dancing, an instinctive expression of joy. It was closely connected with music, which was an integral
part of the education of the better-off classes in the nineteenth century.
