Weaver's Orchesography

This is a scan (and transcription) of a facsimile of the first edition of John Weaver's Orchesography, being An Exact and Just Translation from the French of Monsieur Feuillet. The facsimile used was published in 1971 by Gregg International Publishers, and thus the graphics rights have expired. The printed facsimile contains a note that it was reproduced from a copy in the library of Mrs. Raymond Lister.

The Library of Congress has a scan of the 2nd edition.

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Transcription

The transcription was produced by the Project Gutenberg Distributed Proofreaders. You can also download it as a single zip file (2.4 megabytes).

Facsimile

Click on the links below to jump to the corresponding page in the facsimile. Or you can download the entire book as one large pdf file (2.4 megabytes).

Cover
Dedication
Preface
A List of the Dancing-masters, Subscribers to this Undertaking.
Orchescography.
Of the Stage, Room, or School.
The Presence of the Body.
Of the Tract.
Of the Positions
A half Position.
Position.
Of true Positions.
Of false Positions.
Of Steps.
A Demonstration of all the Steps which have been before explain'd.
Steps may have several Marks.
How to place the Marks in their proper Order.
Observations upon Springings.
Of springing Steps.
Of marking the Positions.
Of Positions and half Positions having several Marks at once.
Of waving Positions, and half Positions.
Of Positions and half Positions, which are wav'd and unwav'd.
Of the Change of Positons.
Of Positions that shift or change from one place to another.
Of the Changing of waving Positions.
How to hold the Book or Paper, to deciper written Dances.
Rules to be observ'd in Dancing by written Characters.
How to know what Steps and half Positions are with the right Foot, and what with the left.
The manner of Steps crossing one another.
To return upon a Tract you have just before mov'd on.
To know to and from what Positions, Steps move.
How Steps terminate in Positions.
Of simple and compound Steps.
The Tables.
- I. Of Courant Movements
- 2. Of half Coupee's.
- 3. Of Coupee's.
- 4. Of Bouree's, or Fleurets.
- 5. Of Bounds, or Tacs.
- 6. Of Contretemps, or compos'd Hops.
- 7. Of Chassee's, or Drives.
- 8. Of Sissonne's, or Cross-Leaps.
- 9. Of Pirouettes.
- 10. Of Capers, and Half-Capers.
- 11. Of Entre-chats, or Cross-Capers.
- 12. Of Waving Steps.
- 13. A Supplement.
Of Time, Measure, or Cadence.
Of the Figure.
Some Rules to be observ'd in the Figures of Dances.
For giving the Hands in Dancing.
Of the Movement of the Arms.
Where to place the Motion of the Arms on the Tract.
Examples of the Movements of the Arms.
Some Rules to be observ'd in writing of Dances.

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Greg Lindahl