Elements and principles of the art of dancing

A translation of Gourdoux-Daux's Principes de la danse (Paris, 1804 and 1811), this manual is important for its description of steps and step sequences appropriate in the performance of the popular ballroom dance, the quadrille (called cotilion by the author). The quadrille is a series of figures, organized into sets and performed by sets of four couples. The manual begins with discussions on deportment and positions, and continues with descriptions of various steps including assemblé, jeté, echappé, chassé, and glissadé. Step combinations are given for nineteen quadrille figures, such as "right and left," "hands round," "English chain," "ladies' chain," and "balancé."