Orchesography; or, The art of dancing by characters and demonstrative figures. Wherein the whole art is explain'd; with compleat tables of all steps us'd in dancing, and rules for the motions of the arms, &c. Whereby any person (who understands dancing) may of himself learn all manner of dances. Being an exact and just translation from the French of Monsieur Feuillet. By John Weaver, dancing master.

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An American Ballroom Companion: Dance Instruction Manuals

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Orchesography; or, The art of dancing by characters and demonstrative figures. Wherein the whole art is explain'd; with compleat tables of all steps us'd in dancing, and rules for the motions of the arms, &c. Whereby any person (who understands dancing) may of himself learn all manner of dances. Being an exact and just translation from the French of Monsieur Feuillet. By John Weaver, dancing master.

Feuillet, Raoul-Auger, 1659 or 60-1710.

OTHER TITLES
Chorégraphie, ou L'art de décrire la dance par caracteres, figures et signes desmonstratifs. English

Orchesography

Art of dancing by characters and demonstrative figures

Art of dancing

CREATED/PUBLISHED
2d ed. N.B. To this edition is added, the Rigadoon, the Louver, & the Brittagne, in characters, with the contents, or index: the whole engraven ... by Mr. Isaac ...
London, Printed for, & sold by Ino. Walsh ... [ca. 1715?]

SUMMARY
Originally published in Paris by Raoul-Auger Feuillet under the title Chorégraphie ... (1700), this translation by English dancing master and theoretician John Weaver is dedicated to famed choreographer, Mr. Issac. The manual details a dance notation system that indicates placement of the feet and basic leg movements. Changes of body direction and numerous ornamentations of the legs and arms are also part of the system. Based on tract drawings, the system traces the floor pattern of the dance. Bar lines in the dance score correspond to the bar lines in the accompanying music, located above the notated diagrams.

NOTES
Engraved throughout.

The Rigadoon, the Louver, and the Brittagne, by Mr. Isaac (p. 101-120) consist of diagrams; at head of each diagram, the tune for the dance figure is represented.

Bound in mottled calf, panelled, with gold tooling.

SUBJECTS
Dance--Handbooks, manuals, etc.--Early works to 1800.
Dance music--18th century.
Dance Instruction and Technical Manuals.
Notation for Dance.
Music for Dance.

RELATED NAMES
Weaver, John, 1673-1760.
Isaac, Mr.

MEDIUM
3 p.l., 120 p. diagrs. 27 cm.

CALL NUMBER
GV1590 .F6 1715

DIGITAL ID
musdi 074 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/musdi.074

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