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Orchesography

How to place the Marks in their proper Order.

John Weaver translation

It is necessary first to know, that a

Step

has three Divisions,

viz

. a

Beginning, Middle

, and

End:

You must also consider the

Foot,

as well in

Steps

as

Positions,

has two Sides, an Inside and an Outside. The Beginning of the

Step

, is the Beginning of the Line, joining the little black Spot, as is shewn by the Letter A. The Middle, is the middle of the Line, as at Letter B. And the End, is the Extremity of the Line, joining that which represents the Foot, as at Letter C. The Outside of the Foot, is between the Heel and the end of the little Toe, mark’d D E; and the Inside, is that which is between the Heel and End of the great Toe, as is mark’d F G.

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

There are three ways of

Sinking, viz

. before the Foot moves, in moving, and after it has moved.

When there is the Mark of a Sink at the beginning of a Step, the Sink must be made before the Foot moves.

Sink before the Foot moves.

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

When the Sink is mark’d in the middle of the Step, the Sink is not to be made till the Foot has made half the Step.

A Sink in moving.

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

When the Sink is mark’d at the end of the Step, the Sink must not be made till the Step is finish’d.

A Sink after Movement.

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

It is the same thing in the Marks of a Rise.

Rise before the Foot moves. Rise in moving. Rise after Movement.

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

Sink and Rise before the Foot moves. Sink and Rise in moving. Sink and Rise after moving.

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

Sink before Moving, and Rise in Moving. Sink as before, and Rise after Moving. Sink in Moving, Rise after the Movement.

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