Orchesographie. Et traicte en forme de dialogve, par leqvel tovtes personnes pevvent facilement apprendre & practiquer l'honneste exercice des dances.

Abstract

Written by a French cleric, Jehan Tabourot, in the form of a dialogue between a dancing master and his student and originally published in 1588, this manual is an important tool in the understanding of late sixteenth-century French social dance. The manual provides critical information on social ballroom behavior and on the interaction of musicians and dancers. The book's usefulness is also enhanced by a notation system that correlates the music to the dance steps. Orchesographie discusses a full spectrum of late Renaissance dance including the galliard, pavane, branle, volta, morisque, gavotte, allemande, and courante.Contains music.Thoinot Arbeau is an anagram for Jehan Tabourot."Extraict du priuilege" is dated "Novembre 1588."Inscribed in gold on fly-leaf: James Edwards from his father J. E., September 1815.Ex libris Edouard Rahir