Orchesography, or, the Art of Dancing / The Art of Dancing by Characters and Demonstrative Figures

by Raoul-Auger Feuillet

Of the Tract.

The Line on which the Dances are described, I call the

Tract

.

Which Tract serves for two Ends, the first to direct the Steps and Positions, and the other to represent the Figure of the Dance.

All Steps and Positions may be described upon two Lines, viz.upon a Right Line, and a Diametrical Line; but because the Tract must also be made use of for the Explanation of the Figure of Dances, I shall add to these Lines, the Circular and i>Oblique.

A Right Line, I call that which extends it self in Length, from one end of the Room to the other, as by the Line mark’d K.

A Diametrical Line, is that which goes cross the Room from side to side, as is shewn by the Line L.

The Circular Line, is that which goes round the Room, as is express’d by the Letter M.

The Oblique Line, is that which goes cross the Room, from Corner to Corner, as may be seen by the Line N.

Every one of these Lines, or Tracts, may jointly or separately form the Figure of a Dance, on which may be described the Positions and Steps, as in Figure O. The beginning of which Tract, is shewn by the Character representing the Posture or Presence of the Body, which must be join’d to it, to shew the Position of the Body at the beginning of the Dance.

Of the Positions.

There are ten Sorts of

Positions

generally us’d in

Dancing,

which are divided into

True

and

False.

The True, are when the Feet are plac’d uniform, and have the Toes turn’d out equally.

The False, are some of them uniform, others not, and differ from the True, in that, the Toes are turn’d inward, or one in, and the other out.

In all Positions whatsoever, the Form of the Foot is known by these Marks, viz. That which resembles an O, represents the Heel; the Line join’d to it, the Ankle; and the Extremity of that Line, the Point of that Foot.

A half Position.

This Figure of the Foot, is but a half Position, because it represents but one Foot, whereas a whole Position does that of two, as in the Figure A B.

Position

’Tis to be observ’d, that the Letter A, in the foregoing Figure, represents the left Foot, and B, the right.

Of true Positions.

There are five true

Positions

. The first is when the two Feet are join’d together, the Heels being one against the other.

First Position.

The second is when the Feet are open, or separate, on a Line, one distant from the other the length of the Foot. Second Position.

The third is when the Heel of one Foot is join’d to the Ankle of the other, which I shall hereafter term inclos’d. Third Position.

The fourth is when the two Feet are plac’d one before the other, the distance of a Foot in length. Fourth Position.

The fifth is when the two Feet are cross’d, the Heel of one directly opposite to the Toe of the other. Fifth Position.

Of false Positions.

There are also five of these. The first is when the Toes are turn’d inwards, and touch each other, the Heels being open on the Line.

First Position.

The second is when the Toes are turn’d inwards, there being the distance of a Foot’s Length between the Toes; the Heels as before. Second Position.

The third is when the Toe of one Foot is outwards, and the other inwards, the one parallel towards the other. Third Position.

The fourth is when the Toes are turn’d inwards, so that the Toe of one Foot points to the Ankle of the other. Fourth Position.

The fifth false Position, is mark’d like the fifth true one, and seems to be the same Position; but notwithstanding, they are very different, for whereas in the true one, the Toes are turn’d outwards, in the false, they are turn’d inwards, crossing each other, so that the Heel of one Foot is right against the Toe of the other, and is to be distinguish’d from the true one by a small Bar between the Position. Fifth Position.

Of Steps.

Altho’

Steps

made use of in Dancing, are almost innumerable, I shall nevertheless reduce them to five, which serve to express the different Figures the Leg makes in moving: These I shall call,

a straight plain Step

, an

open Step

, a

circular

or

round Step

, a

waving Step

, and a

beaten Step

.

A straight Step, is when the Foot moves in a right Line; which is to be made two ways, forwards, and backwards.

The open Step, is when the Leg opens; which is to be done three ways, one outwards, another inwards, both which make an Arch or half Circle, and the third sideways, which may also be called a straight Step, because the Motion of it is in a direct Line.

The round or circular Step, is when the Foot, in moving, makes a circular Figure; of this there is two ways, one outwards, and another inwards.

The waving Step, is when the Foot, in moving, turns both inwards and outwards. There are three ways of doing this, forwards, backwards, and sideways.

The beaten Step, is when one Leg or Foot is beaten against the other. Of this there are also three ways of performing, viz. forwards, backwards, and sideways.

A Step is known by the Character following, viz. a black Spot mark’d A, representing the Position of the Foot, the Line drawn from that Spot, mark’d B, shewing the Motion, Figure, and Largness of the Step, as from A to D, and lastly, by a small side Stroke join’d to the End of the Line C, representing the Foot, of which D is the Heel, and E the Point of the Foot, or Toe.