ecossaise, variety of contredanse that was popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in France and England. It was danced in quick 2/4 time by a double line of couples, men facing women; the couples progressed to the head of the line as the figures of the dance were executed. The vogue of the ecossaise inspired musical compositions for piano bearing this name by Franz Schubert and Frédéric Chopin as well as by Ludwig van Beethoven, who also wrote ecossaises for military band and for small orchestra.