THE THEORY OF 
 
 THEATRICAL DANCING 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924019286669 
 
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 The theory of theatrical dancing; with a 
 
 3 1924 019 286 669 
 
THE THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING 
 
THE THEORY OF 
 THEATRICAL DANCING 
 
 WITH A CHAPTER ON 
 
 PANTOMIME 
 
 EDITED FROM CARLO BLASIS' CODE OF 
 
 TERPSICHORE, WITH THE ORIGINAL PLATES, BY 
 
 STEWART D. HEADLAM. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 ''MPD BY FREDERICK VERINDER, 
 JUKE STREET, ADELPHI, W.C. 
 
 THREE SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE. 
 1888. 
 
For all the arts of mankind, and womankind, are only rightly 
 learned or practised, when they are so with the definite 
 purpose of pleasing or teaching others. A child dancing for 
 its own delight, a lamb leaping, or a fawn at play, are happy 
 and holy creatures ; but they are not artjsts. An artist is — 
 and recollect this definition, A PERSON WHO HAS 
 SUBMITTED TO A LAW WHICH IT WAS PAINFUL 
 TO OBEY, THAT HE MAY BESTOW A DELIGHT 
 WHICH IT IS GRACIOUS TO BESTOW. 
 
 John Ruskin. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO PUPILS ... 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 STUDY OF THE LEGS 
 
 STUDY OF THE BODY 
 
 STUDY OF THE ARMS 
 
 CHAPTER in. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PAGE. 
 1 
 
 11 
 
 19 
 22 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 PRINCIPAL POSITIONS, WITH THEIR DERIVATIVES ; PRE- 
 PARATIONS AND TERMINATIONS ; OF STEPS AND 
 Temps ; POSES, ATTITUDES, ARABESQUES, GROUPS AND 
 ATTITUDES de genre ... ... ... ... 28 to 38 
 
 ACTION OF THE HEAD ... ... ... ... 28 
 
 ATTITUDE ... ... ... ... ... 29 
 
 OF THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY IN A DANCER ... ... 29 
 
 COUNTERPOISE ... ... ... ... ... 29 
 
 OF THE FIGURE THAT MOVES AGAINST THE WIND ... 80 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF TemfiS, STEPS, ENCHAINEMENTS AND OF THE 
 
 ent'rechat ... ... ... ... ... 34 
 
 OBSERVATIONS ON THE ENTRECHAT, AND ON THE 
 MANNER OF BEATING AND CROSSING IN CLOSE- 
 LEGGED AND BOW-LEGGED DANCERS ... ... 30 
 
 CLOSE-LEGGEB- DANCERS ... ... ... ... 30 
 
 BOW-LEGGED DANCERS ... ... ... ... SO 
 
 OBSERVATIONS ON A PERSON IN THE ACT OF LEAPING 
 
 FROM THE GROUND ... ... ... ... 87 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 PIROUETTES— OF THE MANNER IN WHICH A DANCER 
 MUST PREPARE FOR THE EXECUTION OF THE 
 PIROUETTES: OF THE VARIOUS POSITIONS SHE MAY 
 TAKE IN TURNING, AND OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS 
 OF STOPPING AND ENDING THEM ... ... 39 
 
 CHAPTER vnr. 
 
 OF THE SERIOUS DANCER, THE DEMI-CHARACTERE, AND 
 
 THE COMIC DANCER ... ... ... ... 46 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE PRECEPTOR,— NEW METHOD OF INSTRUCTION ... 51 
 
 ' DIAGRAMS OF POSITION .. ... ... ... 55 
 
 OF THE COMPOSITION OF STEPS ... ... ... 56 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 FIRST RXERCISE— FIRST POSITIONS ... ... ... 58 
 
 BATTEMENTS ... ... ... ... ... 58 
 
 RONDS DE JAMBES ... .. ... .. ... 00 
 
 OF THE TEMPS ... ... ... ... ... 61 
 
 OF THE PAS ... ... ... ... ... 61 
 
 OF THE LESSON ... ... ... ... ... 61 
 
 GAIT ... ... .. ... ... ... 62 
 
 .CHAPTER XI. 
 
 ON PANTOMIME AND THE STUDIES NECESSARY FOR A 
 
 PANTOMIMIC PERFORMER ... ... ... 64 
 
 ON THE ORIGIN OF THOSE MASKED CHARACTERS WHO 
 
 PERFORM IN ITALIAN COMEDIES ... ... 85 
 
 EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES ... ... ... 90 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 My chief object in producing this book is to 
 enable the public to understand better than 
 they do at present how difficult the art of 
 Dancing is, and so to induce them to appre- 
 ciate more fully the Dancers and their work. 
 If, as Mr. Ruskin teaches, the artist is a 
 person who has submitted to a law which it 
 was painful to obey, in order to bestow a 
 delight which it is gracious to bestow, the 
 Dancers are artists indeed. And Dancing 
 is an art, let the public remember, which 
 depends on their immediate support for its 
 very existence. The Poet, the Painter, ^the 
 Sculptor can work for posterity : but the 
 Dancer's art is fugitive, not permanent. If 
 the contemporaries of any Dancer fail through 
 ignorance, or dulness, or bigotry, to appre- 
 ciate her, no one else can. They have 
 prevented her God-given faculties from having 
 the influence, which they were intended to 
 have. 
 
 I hope also, that this book may be of some 
 little use and encouragement to the Dancers 
 themselves in their work. It will not, of 
 course, teach them how to dance any more 
 than it will teach the public and the critics 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 how to understand dancing : the Dancer can 
 only learn her art from a living master and 
 by constant practise ; and I believe, also, 
 that only one who has had practical ex- 
 perience of the art is capable of guiding 
 and teaching the public to appreciate it 
 thoroughly : but all the same, a careful study 
 of this book, especially a constant comparison 
 of the text with the Plates, will give the 
 Dancer many useful hints, and will enable 
 anyone who is a frequent^spectator of Ballet 
 Dancing to understand much more of the art 
 than he btherwise would have done. 
 
 The Theory of Theatrical Dancing with 
 the chapter on Pantomime form Parts II. 
 and III. of Carlo Blasis' most important 
 work, " The Code of Terpsichore," which, 
 as he says, in his preface, was " conceived 
 and executed in the heart of England," and 
 was published in London in August, 1828^ 
 when the author was principal dancer at the 
 King's Theatre (i.e. Her Majesty's). Carlo 
 Blasis was then aged twenty-five, having been 
 born at Naples on November 4th, 1803. 
 He made his first appearance as a principal 
 dancer at Marseilles, at the age of twelve, 
 and his debut in Paris a few years after. 
 While residing in Paris he took for his master 
 and guide the celebrated Gardel, who selected 
 for him as partner in his various performances. 
 
PBEFACE. XI. 
 
 the excellent and renowned danseuse of the 
 opera, Mdlle. Gosselin, and afterwards, Mdlle. 
 Le Gallois, an artist of classical taste. After 
 leaving Paris, he danced in the principal 
 cities in the north of France, and was then 
 engaged at the La Scala, Milan, where he 
 worked during fourteen seasons, subsequently 
 visiting all the principal cities of Italy. 
 After again performing in France, he came over 
 to England in 1826, and was triumphantly 
 received as Dancer, Actor, and Ballet com- 
 poser. The Code of Terpsichore, which he 
 published here, contains, besides the chapters 
 on the theory of Theatrical Dancing and on 
 Pantomime, a 'history of Dancing, an essay 
 on Dramatic art as applied to Dancing, a 
 collection of the author's Ballets in various 
 styles, and some chapters on Private Dancing. 
 The work contains also, besides the Plates 
 which are here reproduced, some Ballet music, 
 composed by his sisters, Virginia and 
 Teresa Blasis, and the book is dedicated to 
 Virginia, who was then Prima Donna of the 
 Italian Opera at Paris. The English trans- 
 lation (on which this is founded) was made 
 by "R. Barton, under the author's immediate 
 inspection." Thie book was also published 
 in France and Italy. After leaving England 
 Blasis went to Naples, where at the San 
 Carlo, while rehearsing a grand pas de trois 
 
Xll. PREFACE. 
 
 with Mesdames Brugnoti and Vaguemoulin, 
 he met with an accident to his left leg: froni 
 this accident he never thoroughly recovered, 
 and therefore determined " to leave the 
 theatre before the theatre left him," and to 
 devote himself entirely to the composition of 
 Ballets and to " chorographic " art. 
 
 In 1837, Blasis and his wife were appointed 
 to preside over the Imperial Academy of 
 Dancing and Pantomime at Milan, and their 
 school soon became the first of its kind. An 
 interesting account of this school, (which was 
 supported by the Government, and in which 
 those young persons who were deemed quali- 
 fied for the work by a Commission acting 
 under Government received, gratuitous in- 
 struction in Dancing and Pantomime) will be 
 found in the second part of Carlo Blasis' 
 notes upon Dancing, from which book these 
 few facts about his life are taken. 
 
 During his long engagement at the 
 Academy in Milan, Blasis and his wife — 
 Annunziata Ramaccini — (of whose sister 
 Guidetta's dancing as Juliet at Venice, Lord 
 Byron said that it exhibited all the powerful 
 feeling to be found in Shakespeare) paid 
 frequent visits to England. In 1847 he was 
 in England for the sixth time, and was 
 engaged as composer of Ballets, first at Drury 
 Lane and then at Covent Garden. 
 
PEEPACE. Xm. 
 
 These few details as to his life and work 
 are, I think, sufficient to prove that Carlo 
 Blasis is well entitled to speak with authority 
 on the Art of Dancing. 
 
 Of course, there are some to whom the 
 art of Dancing offers no charms : superfine 
 philosophers and very stern Puritans will 
 have none of it : man delights them not, nor 
 woman neither, and therefore, no wonder 
 that from them the players get but Lenten 
 entertainment. But the great mass of the 
 people are, I am convinced, pleased and 
 interested with beautiful Dancing, and will be 
 glad to know and understand a little more 
 about it : while those who go so far as to 
 maintain that the human body is the temple 
 of the Holy Ghost, will be enthusiastic 
 supporters of the Dancers who, after much 
 education and discipline, enable it to speak 
 to us with the various poetry of vital motion. 
 
 If the study of this book enables only a 
 few men and women to appreciate more fully 
 and more reasonably a beautiful art ; above 
 all, if it gives any kind of encouragement to 
 our English Dancers to take heart of grace 
 and do the best for their art among the many 
 difficulties with which they are surrounded, I 
 shall be abundantly satisfied. The strain 
 and stress of our modern competitive life, the 
 failure of the State to carry out to the full 
 
XIV. PBEFACE. 
 
 the education of the people in art as well as 
 in other things, the absence of any regular 
 school permanently connected with a Theatre 
 or Opera, in which English Dancers can be 
 trained, -and so become secure, if they are 
 competent, of a position and means of liveli- 
 hood, naturally discourages and often abso- 
 lutely prevents the English Dancers from 
 giving that energy and time to Practise which 
 is so entirely necessary for all who would be 
 perfect in the art. But there are not wanting 
 signs that wise laws and rational government 
 will, before many generations are passed, 
 alter this state of things. Let the dancers 
 then do their best under the difficulties which 
 surround them, and at any rate hand down 
 to those better times the best traditions of 
 the past. 
 
EXTRACT FROM THE PREFACE TO THE 
 CODE OF TERPSICHORE. 
 
 The works hitherto published on the Art of Dancing, 
 Ballets and Pantomime, are few in number, and, in 
 the opinion of those best qualified to judge, deficient in 
 real merit and general utility. The ;subject has 
 certainly been treated by Noverre in a masterly 
 manner, considering the time when he wrote and the 
 apparent intention of his labours ; he threw many new 
 and brilliant lights upon the art, but his letters were 
 more adapted to instruct the professor, than to improve 
 the pupil, even at the time of their publication, and the 
 art has since advanced with such rapidity that his 
 w^orks are now of little use to either. The greater part 
 of those who have written upon this subject seem to 
 have been persons of taste, talent and learning; but 
 they evidently were not dancers ; so that, however 
 attractive their productions may be to the general 
 reader, the man of fashion, or the literary man, they 
 are of little practical utility to the actor, the dancer or 
 the Ballet-master. They contain a succession of 
 theoretical and unconnected ideas, but do not develdpe 
 any method of study and practice in all the various 
 branches of the art. In fact, a practical work adapted 
 to the present time, and calculated at once to assist 
 the professor, to enlighten and amuse the amateur, and 
 to instruct the student, appears for long to have been a 
 desideratum. Impressed with the truth of these 
 remarks, after several years of study, research and 
 
XVI. EXTRACT. 
 
 practical experience, encouraged by many whose 
 literary opinions he values most highly, and em- 
 boldened by the flattering reception which several of 
 his works have met with in France, Italy and Spain, the 
 author has resolved upon undertaking the composition 
 of a large and comprehensive work, upon the origin, 
 progress, theory and practice of dancing, including also 
 treatises upon the composition and execution of Ballets 
 d^ Action, or Pantomimical Ballets. He has proposed 
 and introduced improvements as he advances, and 
 offered a new method of instruction which is more 
 certain, as well as shorter, than anything hitherto 
 known. He has endeavoured to give a greater latitude 
 to Pantomime than has yet been allowed to that art, 
 applying the rules and various styles of the regular 
 drama to the chorographical composition. He has 
 further attempted to demonstrate that Ballets should 
 not be made mere divsrtisiments, or dancing spectacles, 
 and has restored his art to that place among the Fine 
 Arts to which it may justly lay claim ; for in fact all the 
 passions of the human heart, the comic, the serious, the 
 terrible, the ludicrous, may be perfectly expressed by 
 a skilful Ballet-master, and an accomplished Panto- 
 mimic actor. The author has endeavoured to treat the 
 subject in such a manner as to enlighten and instruct 
 those who study and profess the art, and at the same 
 time so as to interest persons of taste and learning and 
 readers in general. 
 
THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 " Qtie la danse toujours, ou gate ou serieuse, 
 Soil de nos sentimens I'image ingenimse; 
 Que tons ses mouvemens du cceur soient Us iclios 
 Lei gestes un langage, et ses pas des tableaux ! " 
 
 Delille. 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 General Insteuctions to Pupils. 
 
 YoD who devote yourselves to the enchanting 
 Terpsichore, and aspire to an honourable rank among 
 her votaries; who are gifted by nature with every 
 quality necessary to obtain admission into her 
 temples, and are predetermined to leave nothing 
 undone that may help to lead you to perfection, 
 attentively observe the following instructions: — 
 
 Success or failure in all studies chiefly depends on 
 the manner in which they are commenced. Your first 
 attention must therefore be directed to the choice of a 
 master, with whom you may run no hazard of being 
 led astray. All professors have not issued from good 
 schools, and few have distinguished themselves in the- 
 art which they pretend to teach. Many there are of 
 ordinary abilities who, far from increasing the number 
 of good dancers, are daily diminishing it, and whose 
 defective mode of instruction imparts a variety of 
 vicious habits, which the pupil afterwards finds 
 
5i THEORY OF THBATEIOAL DANCING. 
 
 extremely difficult, nay, sometimes impossible, to 
 eradicate. You must not either follow the precepts 
 of simple unpractised theorists, utterly incapable of 
 demonstrating clearly the true principles of the art : 
 nor be guided by the imaginary schemes of innovating 
 speculators, who, whilst they think themselves 
 contributing towards the advancement of the elemen- 
 tary rules of dancing are gradually working its 
 destruction. 
 
 Carefully shun the baneful lessons of such 
 preceptors, and seek to place yourself under the direc- 
 tion of an experienced master, whose knowledge and 
 talents will serve as true guides to perfection, and 
 point out the path that leads to pre-eminence. 
 
 In the first place I recommend you seriously to 
 consider your personal qualifications and mental dis- 
 position for the art you attempt to learn. Can you 
 be passionately fond of it ? Can your chief delight be 
 concentrated in its study and practice ? Are you in 
 most respects adapted to it ? If in yourself you meet 
 with a negative to these questions never expect to 
 excel or even to become "tolerable" or "passable." 
 
 Do not allow yourself to be discouraged by difficulties. 
 Every obstacle is surmounted by perseverance and 
 reiterated practice^ Eemember the painter's advice to 
 his pupils: " Nulla dies sine linea," Nothing is of 
 greater importance in dancing than frequent practice ; 
 to masters even it is necessary, to students in- 
 dispensable. No other art demands a stricter atten- 
 tion in this particular : without it she who has made 
 herself perfect cannot long remain so, she soon loses 
 part of what has cost her so much labour to acquire, 
 her equilibrium becomes less steady, her springs less 
 
THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. S 
 
 elastic, and she at length finds that through a remis- 
 sion of diligence she has much to do over again. 
 This is not the case with music and singing ; a good 
 ear, a fine voice, are usually Sufficient, with a few 
 years of moderate study, to conquer all difficulties. 
 Nor does painting require such intense application 
 both from learners and professors as dancing, which, 
 like all other bodily exercises, cannot be acquired and 
 retained without the utmost study and assiduity. Do 
 not therefore let twenty-four hours pass without 
 practising. The pupil that frequently interrupts her 
 studies opposes a considerable impediment to her 
 progress. All the lessons that she takes, when widely 
 separated one from the other, can be of no service 
 towards making her a good dancer; and are little 
 else than the loss of so much time which I would 
 advise her to spend in a more profitable manner. 
 Avoid, however, running into an opposite extreme, for 
 too much practice is often as prejudicial as too little. 
 Excess in everything is a fault : let me remind you of 
 the philosopher's maxim: " La moderation est le tresor 
 du sage." 
 
 Be temperate and sober if you desire to become a 
 finished dancer. To render yourself capable of 
 sacrificing before the shrine of Terpsichore, partially 
 renounce every pleasure but thai which the goddess 
 affords. Let no other exercise be intermingled with 
 dancing : riding, fencing, running are all powerful 
 enemies to the learner's advancement. 
 
 Do not rely on your own natural qualities in such 
 a way as to neglect to study or practice as much as 
 those to whom nature has been less liberal : for were 
 you to possess the symmetry of the Apollo Belvedere, 
 
4 THKOBY OP THEATEICAL DANCING. 
 
 the Antinous, or the Medicean Venus, together 
 with the happiest endowments, you would have but 
 little reason to expect to attain excellence in your 
 profession without study, industry, and perseverance. 
 
 Particularly attend to the carriage of your bodjy 
 and arms. Let their motions be easy, graceful, and 
 always in accordance with those of the legs. Display 
 your form with taste and elegance, but beware of 
 affectation. In the lessons and exercises pay an equal 
 regard to both legs, lest the execution of the one 
 surpass that of the other. I have seen many dance 
 with one leg only ; them I compare to painters that 
 can draw figures but on one side. Dancers and 
 painters of such limited talent are certainly not to be 
 considered as good artists. 
 
 Take especial care to acquire perpendicularity and an 
 exact equilibri^m. In your performance be correct 
 and very precise ; in your steps brilliant and light ; 
 in every attitude natural and elegant. A good dancer 
 ought always to be able to serve for a model to the 
 sculptor and painter. This is perhaps the acme of 
 perfection and the goal that all should endeavour to 
 reach. Throw a sort of abandon into your positions, 
 groups and arabesques: let your countenance be 
 animated and expressive; siano le attitudini degli 
 uomini con le loro membra in tal modo disposte, che 
 con quelle si ddmostri V intenzione del loro animo. 
 These words of the great Leonardo should be as deeply 
 engraved in the memory of the actor and dancer as 
 in that of the painter. 
 
 " Les gestes et les pas d' un mutuel accord 
 Peigueut (de I'ame) la meme ivresse et le meme transport." 
 
 Dorat, 
 
THEOEY OF THEATRICAL DAKCING. 5 
 
 Be vigorous but avoid stiffness: seek to acquire 
 a facility of spring, that your mirechats may be easy, 
 precise, and well crossed. Eapidity is also very 
 pleasing in a dancer ; lightness still more so ; the 
 one imparts a brilliancy to the performance, the other 
 has in it, something of an aerial appearance that 
 charms the eye of the spectator. Observe the 
 ballon, nothing can be more delightful than to see 
 you bounding with graceful elasticity in your steps, 
 scarcely touching the ground, and seeming at every 
 moment on the point of flying into the air. 
 
 Preserve a perfect equilibrium in the execution of 
 your pirouettes, and be careful how you begin and 
 end them. Tread with assurance and uprightness, 
 holding your body and limbs as the following chapterg 
 will direct. Use your utmost endeavour to twirl 
 delicately on the point of / your toes ; this is the most 
 finished and agreeable style of execution ; for what 
 can be more unpleasing to the sight than a heavy, 
 clumsy dancer, who twists about alternately on her 
 heels and toes, and uncouthly jerks her body at each 
 revolution of her pirouette ? 
 
 Attentively study the invention of steps; try to 
 vary incessantly your enchainements, figures, attitudes 
 and groups. " Variety " says Dauberval, "is one of 
 the great charms of nature ; nor can you please the 
 beholder for any length of time, but in often changing 
 your compositions." 
 
 Enchatnements in dancing are very numerous. 
 Every good dancer has her own peculiar mode of 
 combining her "phrases," steps, &c. Form there- 
 fore a style of your own, as originality is the chief 
 means to procure yourself distinction. By copying 
 
b THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 others you may, perhaps, sometimes excel, but the 
 absence of novelty will, unquestionably, deprive your 
 dancing of all attraction. 
 
 " II en est de la danse comme de la musique et des 
 danseurs comme des musicien: notre art n'est pas 
 plus riche en pas fondamenteaux que la musique 1' est 
 en notes ; mais nous avons des octaves, des rondes, des 
 blanches, des noires, des croches, des temps a compter, 
 et une mesure a suivre ; ce melange d'un petit 
 nombre des pas et d'une petite quantite de notes offre 
 une multitude d'enchainements et de traits varies : 
 le gout et le genie trouvent toujours une source de 
 nouveautes en arrangeant et en retournant, cette 
 petite portion de notes et de pas de mille sens et de 
 mille manieres differentes : ce sont done ces pas lent 
 et soutenus, cespasvifs, precipites; et ces temps plus ou 
 moins ouverts, que forment cette diversite continuelle." 
 
 Imitate the art of painting in your manner of com- 
 bining and arranging : let all the parts of your picture 
 be in strict harmony with one another, the principal 
 effect spirited, every tint (if the expression may be 
 allowed in speaking of the modulation of steps, atti- 
 tudes, &c.) flowing easily into the next, and the whole 
 finished off with softness and taste. Keep a vigilant 
 ear on the movements, rests and cadences of the 
 music, that your dancing may be in exact concert 
 with its accompaniment. Everything depends on 
 this melodious union, and when really perfect it is 
 charming in the extreme. Not an eye can follow the 
 performer without deUght, not an ear, however 
 unsusceptible of the impressions which music conveys, 
 can listen without being worked upon by a combina- 
 tion so harmonious and ravishing. 
 
THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 7 
 
 Observe with attention and judiciously examine 
 all that concerns your art. Maturely weigh all 
 advice that is offered to you, and afterwards make use 
 of it as your judgment best directs. Do not disdain 
 even to learn from an inferior. A bad dancer may at 
 times have in her style of dancing something good 
 that previously escaped your notice. A middling 
 figurante, or even one utterly devoid of taste, will be 
 able now and then to give you salutary counsel. 
 
 Do not shrink from rendering yoarself importunate 
 by constantly questioning your teacher : reason freely 
 with him upon the art you are acquiring : if you fall 
 into error, blush not to confess your mistake in con- 
 sulting him, but in every respect profit by his 
 opinions, follow his directions, and put his precepts 
 into immediate practice, that they may be thereby 
 more firmly rooted in your memory. 
 
 Never depart from true principles, nor cease to 
 follow the best guides. Above all, do not permit 
 yourself to be led astray by the example of some 
 miserable performers, who enjoy for a while the 
 applause of an ill-discerning public, by feats of 
 strength, gambols and ridiculous pirouettes. Be 
 assured that the laurels of such pitiful performers are 
 seldom lasting. 
 
 The approbation of meii of distinction in the art, 
 the only judges to be esteemed and consulted, is ever 
 a sufficient stimulus to a dancer of talent, who cannot 
 but entertain a profound contempt for that praise 
 which fools lavish on every mountebank they behold. 
 
 Ease and softness in the execution of your dance, I 
 repeat, ought always to be aimed at. In acquiring 
 these, you show that the exercise is natural to you, 
 
8 THBOEY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 and that you have overcome the greatest difficulty, 
 namely, the concealment of art. 
 
 When once possessed of this great quality, which I 
 may term the highest step on the ladder of perfection, 
 you may claim every suffrage, and justly merit the 
 name of a finished dancer. 
 
 Consider carefully what style of dancing suits you 
 best. Nothing exhibits a greater want of taste in a 
 dancer than the choice of a style not at all adapted to 
 her powers. Can anything be more ridiculous than 
 the appearance of a tall majestic performer, fit, in 
 every respect, to pursue the serious branch of her art, 
 dancing a pas villageois in a little comic ballet. And 
 on the other . hand can anything be more ludicrous 
 than to see a thick-set dancer of a diminutive stature, ■ 
 come forward robed in heroic garment and gravely 
 figure off in slow and mournful adagio. The ancients 
 have, by the purity of their taste in this respect, set us 
 an example of severity towards performers of this 
 stamp, of which the following anecdote is an illustra- 
 tion: — "A certain actor, very short in person, was 
 representing Hector, in a play performed at Antioch. 
 The people, beholding the hero thus transformed into a 
 dwarf, simultaneously exclaimed, "Astyanactum 
 videmus, ubi Hector est ? We see Astyanactus before 
 us, but where is Hector ? " Both the dancer and the 
 actor should consider their figure and physical powers, 
 before they adopt any particular style of dancing or 
 performance, that they may only assume the character 
 which they are framed by nature to represent. 
 
 The union of several branches of the art in one 
 person is blameable ; especially in the case of certain 
 second-rate dancers, who, by their endeavours to ape 
 
THEORY OP THEATUICAL DANCING. 9 
 
 the highest favourites of Terpsichore seem bent on 
 bringing her enchanting art to degradation. But 
 those who are neither very tall nor very short, and are • 
 endowed with the requisite ability, may exert them- 
 selves in every kind ; by diligent study and practice 
 they may even shine in whatever part they take. Not 
 so with a dancer of high stature : let her exclusively 
 adopt the serious and heroic kind. Nor with one below 
 the middle size ; let hers be the pastoral and demi- 
 caract^re. You must always vary your style of 
 dancing with your dress ; it would be a vicious taste 
 to make it the same in an Ancient Greek or Eoman 
 costume as in a modern villager's dress. Men of the 
 most illustrious genius, whether poets, painters, or 
 musicians, have ever carefully avoided confounding 
 the character and expression of their different person- ^ 
 ages and styles. Distinction has always been their 
 study, follow their example ; such an imitation on 
 your part will show a sound judgment, and powerfully 
 assist you in your progress to perfection. 
 
 The music of a dance or ballet must be livelier and 
 of a stronger accent and cadence than vocal music . 
 and as it is required to significantly accompany a great 
 variety of sentiments and attitudes, it ought also to 
 be much more diversified. It is music alone which 
 can inspire the dancer and actor with that warmth 
 of expre^ion which a singer derives from words. 
 Music supplies in the language of the soul, all that 
 dancing, by its attitudes and gestures, cannot make 
 known to the spectator. 
 
 An anonymous author, speaking of music and 
 dancing says: "Ces deux arts sont freres, et se 
 tiennent par la main; lea accens lentreg et har- 
 
10 THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 monieux de I'un excitent les mouvements agreable et 
 expressifs de' I'autre ; leurs effets reunis offrent aux 
 yeux et aux oreilles des tableaux animes ; ces sont 
 portent au coeur les images interessantes qui les ont 
 affectes ; le coeur les communique a I'ame ; et le plaisir 
 qui resulte de I'harmome et de I'i&telligence des ces 
 deux arts enchaine le spectateur, et lui fait eprouver 
 CO que la volupte a de plus seduisant." 
 
 Pantomime, unquestionably, expresses a great deal, 
 but -without the accents of musical sounds, melodiously 
 conveying their appropriate sentiments, it never can 
 entirely stir the soul. 
 
 I shall conclude this chapter by recommending to 
 your attention the study of drawing and music, as 
 almost indispensable to make a perfect dancer. By 
 drawing you acquire better ideas of symmetry, 
 elegance, and gracefulness, especially if you pursue the 
 beau ideal which is the aim of this art. Music enables 
 you to be more precise in your performance, your ears 
 to be more awake to the time and cadence of the 
 accompaniment, and all your movements to be made 
 in strict accord with the rhythm of the tune. Music 
 and drawing will afford you much facility in composi- 
 tion also, as whatever be your genius and creative 
 powers of imagination, one thing is certain, your 
 productions cannot easily fail of being correct. 
 
n 
 
 CHAPTEE 11. 
 
 Stuby op the Legs. 
 
 In order to manage your legs properly, endeatour 
 chiefly to acquire a facility of turning them out 
 completely. To this end, make yourself easy about 
 your hips, that your thighs may move with freedom 
 and your knees turn well outwards : all the outward 
 movements of your legs are thus rendered easy and 
 graceful. By dint of practice and attention you will 
 be able to accomplish this without any painful efforts. 
 
 A dancer whose hips are much contracted, and 
 whose legs cannot turn entirely out, is never 
 esteemed ; as by these defects the performance is 
 deprived of its greatest charm. But one that is 
 gifted .with freedom and pliancy, that exhibits a foot 
 well attached to the instep, the point of which 
 is strong, elastic and low, has a very delightful, 
 appearance. 
 
 Some young people are framed by nature with 
 their limbs turning outwards : they possess therefore 
 more facility, and succeed to greater advantage than 
 those whose legs turn towards each other ; a person 
 of the latter kind indeed can cherish no hopes of 
 becoming a good dancer, how diligent soever her 
 labour and study may be. Practice will do no more 
 than turn her feet, or bend her solfes a little down- 
 wards, but her thighs and knees will remain always 
 in their natural state. 
 
12 THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 Here we perceive how requisite it is that all who 
 intend devoting themselves to the study of dancing, 
 should scrupulously examine the make and faculties 
 of their body before they begin to learn an art in 
 which it is impossible to succeed without several gifts 
 of nature. 
 
 Be attentive, in practising, to the movements 
 and position of your insteps ; do not let them relax 
 in strength and elasticity, nor suffer one of your 
 ankles to be higher than the other ; to relax the 
 insteps would be a very serious defect ; make your 
 insteps as high and graceful as possible, and give them 
 sufficient strength for the execution of rapid, vigorous 
 and elevated movements. The action of the instep 
 principally consists in raising and letting down the 
 heel. Study above all things to make it easy and 
 strong, as the equilibrium of the whole body depends 
 upon it. When you spring upwards the instep 
 supports the whole weight of the body on coming 
 down, and by a strong rapid movement makes you 
 alight on your toes. 
 
 The movement of the knee is inseparable from that 
 of the instep, and differs from it but in being perfect 
 only when the leg is extended and the point of the 
 foot low. The movement of the hip is a sort of 
 guide to that of the knee and instep, as it is impossible 
 for these last to move unless the hip acts first. In , 
 some steps the hips alone are set in motion as in 
 entrechats, battements tendus, &c. 
 
 Dancers who have not a natural elasticity, or whose 
 calves are weak in muscle, are compelled to have 
 recourse to their insteps, and this makes amends in a 
 great measure for the debility of other parts, but not 
 
IHEOBY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 13 
 
 without an immense deal of practice. Daily exercise 
 gives them also vigour and rapidity, but let them 
 beware of interrupting their practice if they wish to 
 get any good from it. 
 
 Let the bending of your knee be easy, precise and 
 elegant. Many dancers imagine that nothing further 
 is required to be supplfe and soft, than to bend their 
 knee very low ; but this is a great error, as too low a 
 bend makes the dance appear dry and insipid. You 
 may be wanting in ease and buoyancy no less by 
 bending too much than by not bending at all. The 
 reason is obvious, if we ponsider how subordinate 
 every motion in dancing is to music. For when the 
 bend is too low, and a longer time is taken for every 
 bend than the music allows, you are obliged to mate 
 a sudden spring or rather jerk, to regain the time 
 which you have for a few instants lost, and this rapid 
 transition from flexion to tension is extremely harsh, 
 and produces an effect equally as disagreeable to the 
 spectator as that which results from stiffness. 
 
 What may be called a soft mellowness in dancing 
 depends in a great degree on a proportionate flexion 
 of the knees ; but the instep must contribute, by its 
 elasticity, to the gracefulness of the movement, and 
 the loins serve as a kind of counterpoise to the 
 bending, that the spring when the in&tep rises and 
 falls may be soft and elegant and the whole may be 
 in perfect accord and harmony. 
 
 Let all your openings resulting from the bending of 
 the knee, be consistent with this principle, and in their 
 design strictly uniform with the position of your body 
 and arms. 
 
 If your body is very long, try to raise your legs 
 
14 THEORY OP IHBATEICAL DANCING. 
 
 higher than common rules prescribe; if very short 
 keep them lower than the usual height. By this 
 means you conceal the defect that exists in the con- 
 struction of your body. 
 
 In your steps and temps of vigour be energetic and 
 strong, but at the same time beware lest these 
 qualities degenerate into faults, by stiffness and a 
 painful tension of the muscles. 
 
 As there are many persons so formed that their 
 legs are closely joined to each other, and on the 
 contrary a great number naturally bow-legged, I shall 
 here point out the means of remedying, or at least of 
 hiding these two defects. 
 
 A person is close-legged when the hips and thighs 
 are firmly contracted, the knees thick and apparently 
 joined together, and the lower part of the legs, that is 
 to say, from the bottom of the calf to the heels, 
 form a triangle, of which the ground is the base ; 
 the inside ankles are very large, the instep high, and 
 the tendon achilles thin, long, and but faintly marked. 
 (See Plate iii., figure 5.) 
 
 The bow-legged person is one in whom the opposite 
 defect is conspicuous. The thighs are too much 
 divided, the knees very distant from each other, the 
 calves do not join, and the light that should be per- 
 ceived only in certain parts, is seen throughout the 
 whole length of the legs, which are, therefore, in 
 appearance very similar to two bows, whose extremi- 
 ties are turned to each other. Persons of this 
 description have a long flat foot, their exterior ankles 
 stick out, and the tendon achilles is thick and too 
 close to the joints. (See Plate iii., figure 4.) 
 These two natural defects, so diametrically opposite, 
 
THEORV OF THEATRICAL DANCIKG. 15 
 
 prove how much the rules of instruction must vary 
 according to the pecuHar make of a pupil, as those 
 that are fit for the one to pursue, are prejudicial in 
 the extreme to the other. The studies therefore of two 
 dancers so different in point of shape cannot in any 
 manner be the same. 
 
 The close-legged dancer must endeavour as much as 
 possible to ' separate the parts that are too neairly 
 united. To succeed in these attempts, let her in the 
 first place, turn her thighs outwards and move them 
 in this position, which she is enabled to do by the 
 freedom of the rotatory movement of the os femoris in 
 the cotyloid cavity of the hip bones. The knees assisted 
 by this movement will follow the same direction, and 
 at length get into their right place. The rotula, 
 which hinders the knee from bending backwards, will 
 then fall perpendicularly in the line of the point of 
 the foot ; and the thighs and legs at length become 
 perfectly straight, and firmly maintain the stability 
 of the trunk. In the second place, she ought to keep 
 a continued flexion in the joint of her knees, and so 
 make her legs appear more extended than they are in 
 reality. This is the work of time and practice. 
 Having once acquired the habit it will almost be im- 
 possible 40 make the legs return to their primitive 
 vicious position, without the most painful and in- 
 sufferable efforts. 
 
 The bow-legged dancer must also try to diminish 
 her bow-leggedness by drawing her legs as close as 
 possible to each other. It is requisite to her as to 
 the close-legged one to practise moving the thighs 
 outwards. She should moreover keep her knees in 
 constant extension, that they may thereby acquire 
 
16 THEOEY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 pliancy and softness, and thus conceal her natural 
 stiffness ; yet a dancer of this kind can never succeed 
 in the heroic branch, she should therefore devote 
 herself to the demi-characUre, or, perhaps, rather 
 undertake the pastoral and study its characteristic 
 steps. 
 
 The close-legged dancer is tolerably well adapted to 
 the serious dance and the dance demi-charactere 
 and is in general far more useful than the preceding. 
 Her execution is easier, her movements more delicate, 
 natural, and graceful ; but as she seldom possesses 
 the same strength as the former, she is often 
 compelled to have recourse to the assistance of her 
 instep. In the performance of entrechats she may not 
 be brilliant, but she can be always correct and 
 elegant. Such a dancer may even sometimes aspire 
 to perfection in every branch, provided the height of 
 her stature throws no impediment in the way. 
 
 A close-legged dancer should preserve a gentle 
 flexibility in her execution, and never extend her 
 knees, excepting at the termination of openings, steps, 
 attitudes, &c., by this means she conceals her natural 
 closeness. A bow-legged dancer must, on the contrary, 
 be stretched out as stiff as possible, always avoiding 
 hardness, to which such a ;node of performance 
 naturally tends, and cross her legs very closely, so 
 that their union may decrease, in a great measure, 
 the interval that would otherwise exist between them. 
 But notwithstanding all her efforts, she has not the 
 same chance of success as the close legged performer ; 
 she is usually very strong and vigorous, her muscles 
 are therefore less pliable and her joints cannot act 
 with much freedom or ease. Let it be also remem- 
 
THEOEY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 17 
 
 bered, that if this defect of how-leggedmesa proceeds 
 from the natural construction of the bones, every 
 attempt to remedy or amend it must pirove fruitless. 
 Art is then of no avail. 
 
 Positions in Dancing. 
 
 First position, figure 1, Plate i. 
 
 Second position, figure 2, Plate ii. 
 
 Second position on the toes, figure 3, Plate ii. 
 
 Third position, figure 3, Plate i. 
 
 Fourth position, (side view) figure 1, Plate ii. 
 
 Fifth position, figure 4, Plate i. 
 
 Fifth position on the toes, figure 5, Plate i. 
 N.B. In the second position the distance between 
 the two heels is the length of the foot. In the third 
 position the feet must be only half crossed. 
 
 Bending in the first position, figure 4, Plate ii. 
 
 N.B. The position, on the toes of the first, third 
 and fourth position, and in bending in all except the 
 first, are omitted in order not unnecessarily to increase 
 the number of the Plates ; these positions are very 
 easily understood and can be executed without the 
 assistance of Plates. 
 Method of holding oneself in practising, figure 5, 
 
 Plate ii. 
 Physical construction of the close-legged pupil, 
 
 figure 5, Plate iii. 
 Physical construction of the bow-legged pupil, 
 
 figure 4, Plate iii. 
 N.B. The delineator has somewhat exaggerated 
 the lines of these figures for the purpose of 
 better exhibiting to the pupil those defective 
 constructions. 
 
 B 
 
18 THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCIKG. 
 
 A dancer at the second position in the air and on 
 
 the heel, figure 5, Plate ii. 
 A dancer at the second position, in the air and on 
 
 the toes, figure 1, Plate vi. 
 A dancer at the second position in the air and 
 
 holding out the foot pointed (side view), figure 
 
 1, Plate iv. 
 A dancer at the' fourth position on the toes in the 
 
 air holding out the foot pointed, (front view) 
 
 figure 2, Plate iv. 
 A dancer at the fourth position in the air holding 
 
 out the foot pointed behind, figure 3, Plate iv. 
 Position of the legs in poses and different attitude. 
 
 Plates v., vi., vii., viii., ix. 
 Position of the legs in arabesques. Plates x., xi., xii, 
 
 N.B. In arabesques, and several other attitudes, 
 the feet must not be entirely turned ; if they were, 
 these positions would lose their gracefulness. 
 
19 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Study of the Body. 
 
 Your body should be, as a rule, erect and upright on 
 your legs, except in certain attitudes, and especially 
 in the arabesques, when it must lean forwards or 
 backwards according to the position you, adopt. 
 You should always be careful to keep it equally poised 
 upon your thighs. Throw your chest out and hold 
 your waist in as much as you can. In your perform- 
 ance preserve continually a gentle bend, and much 
 firmness about the lojns. Let your shoulders be 
 low, your head high, your countenance animated and 
 expressive. 
 
 A dancer who wishes to charm the bel;iolder's eye 
 must show all the elegance that her fancy can 
 inspire her with, in the carriage of her body, the easy 
 display of her limbs, and the gracefulness of every 
 attitude into which she throws herself. But let no 
 affectation intermingle ' with your dancing ; that 
 would mar everything. By due attention to these 
 particulars, you will make each of your accomplish- 
 ments shine forth to, their greatest advantage, and 
 always be rewarded for the labour you have taken. 
 
 The elegance of the upper part of the body is 
 specially to be attended to by a dancer, as in that, one 
 of her principal merits consists. Carry your bust 
 gracefully, impart to its motions and oppositions a 
 
20 THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 certain abandon, and do not let it lose in any way the 
 beauty of its pose or the purity of its design. 
 
 Your head, shoulders, and bust, ought to be 
 supported and encircled by your arms, and so precisely 
 follow their motions, that they may present altogether 
 a graceful ensemble ; and as we have already remarked, 
 the legs must, of course, participate in the harmony 
 of these movements. 
 
 In the performance of your steps let your body be 
 quiet, firm and unshaken, yet easy and pliant, 
 following the play of the legs and arms. But 
 especially beware of stiffness. She who, whilst dancing, 
 moves her body by jerks, raises her shoulders at 
 each movement of her legs — bends or relaxes her loins 
 to facilitate the executions of her temps, and who 
 shews by the distortion of her features, how much pain 
 her performance occasions her, is, unquestionably, an 
 object of ridicule, and the name of a grotesque would 
 suit her much better than the name of a dancer. 
 
 I have repeatedly seen examples of this defective 
 mode of dancing; and cannot but attribute it 
 principally to the negligence of masters, who, over- 
 anxious to see their pupils exhibit on a public stage 
 leave them to themselves before they have completed 
 their studies. The public too, by their too indulgent 
 applause or their want of taste, considerably increase 
 the number of this class of dancers, or more properly 
 speakingf leapers, who, finding themselves so much 
 encouraged, immediately imagine that they have 
 attained the summit of perfection in theii^ art. 
 
 -le vulgaire s'extasie 
 
 Aux tours de force aux entrechats. 
 
 L'Hosjfiitah 
 
THEORY OP THEATMCAIi DANCING. 21 
 
 Such miserable dancers ought to be banished from 
 the boards of every theatre, as mountebanks possessed 
 of no gift save that of diffusing bad taste. 
 
 Simple position of the body, figure 1, Plate i. 
 
 Epaidement, opposition of the body, figures 3 and 4, 
 Plate i. 
 
 Position of the body in poses and different 
 attitudes Plates v. vi. vii. viii. ix. 
 
 Position of the body in arabesques Plates x. xi. xii. 
 
 N.B. In arabesques the body goes out of a 
 perpendicular line and inclines forwards or backwards 
 in a pleasing ahandon. 
 
22 
 
 CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 Study of the Abms. 
 
 The position, opposition and carriage of the arms are, 
 perhaps, the three most difficult things , in dancing, 
 and, therefore, demand particular study and attention. 
 
 Noverre, speaking of opposition, says, that " of all 
 the movements executed in dancing, the opposition or 
 contrast of the arms to the feet, is the most natural 
 and at the same time, the least attended to. Observe, 
 for instance, a number of persons walking, you will 
 see that when they place the right foot forward the 
 left arm naturally falls forward also, and is thus in 
 opposition with it. This appears to me a general 
 rule, and from thence it is that skilful dancers have 
 acquired the true manner of carrying their arms and 
 keeping them in a constant opposition to the feet, 
 that is to say, that when the left arm is behind, th e 
 left leg must be before." 
 
 Noverre does not, in my opinion, treat of the opposi- 
 tion with that clearness and exactness which the 
 subject requires ; indeed, feW' writers have done so. 
 The obscurity therefore, that has existed on this 
 important matter in dancing, has occasioned it to 
 be an object of continual controversy among pro- 
 fessional dancers. 
 
 Let us endeavour to elucidate it a little. The oppo- 
 sition of one part of a mo^ang solid to another part is a 
 
THEORY OP THEATEICAL DANCING. 23 
 
 law of equilibrium by which the gravitating powers 
 are divided. This is precisely what Noverre wishes 
 to demonstrate in his example of the gait of a man. 
 And when he further says that opposition takes 
 place each time that the man or dancer puts one leg 
 forward, he means to point out that if such foot so 
 placed before be the right, the left arm must naturally 
 be carried forward at the same instant, whilst the 
 opposite limbs remain behind ; the whole counterpois- 
 ing the deviation of the body from the central Une of 
 gravity. This opposition gives the dancer a very 
 graceful appearance, as she thereby avoids that 
 uniformity of lines in her person so unbecoming a 
 true favourite of Terpsichore. 
 
 For examples of opposition see figure 3, Plate i., 
 figure 4, Plate iv., and all the figures of Plate viii. 
 
 There are two methods of moving the wrists — 
 upwards and downwards. When the movement is to 
 be made downwards, the wrist must be bent inwards, 
 the hand moving in a half circle, and returning to its 
 first position ; but care must be taken not to bend the 
 wrist too violently for it would then appear as if broken. 
 With respect to the second movement, which is 
 upwards, the wrist must be bent in a rounded position 
 allowing the hand to turn upwards, in making a half - 
 turn ; by this movement the hand will be found in 
 the first position in agreement with the arms. 
 
 The elbow, as well as the wrist, has its movement 
 downwards and upwards, with this difference, that 
 when you bend the elbows, the wrists are bent also, 
 which prevents the arms from appearing stiff, im- 
 parting to them much grace. Still it is not necessary 
 to bend the wrists much, as that would produce an 
 
24 THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 extravagant effect, the same thing may be observed 
 of the legs when the knee is bent, it is then the 
 instep that completes the movement, . by raising the . 
 foot in the same manner as the wrist and elbow. 
 
 Thus in order to move them downwards, the arms 
 being placed high, the elbow and wrist must be bent, 
 and when the arms are bent also, they must be 
 extended in order to complete the movement. They 
 will then return to the first position in which they 
 were at the beginning. When you perform a movement 
 with the wrists, they should be bent and then 
 straightened in the same manner as when they are 
 accompanied by the movements of the elbows. 
 
 As to the second movement, which is upwards, the 
 hands being down, the wrists and elbows must be 
 bent, forming a circle, taking care that both arms 
 form at the same time a motion exactly similar ; and 
 then return to their first position. 
 
 A dancer who holds and moves her arms in a 
 graceful manner, and according to the true rules of 
 art, shows that she has studied in a good school, and 
 her performance is invariably correct. Few artists 
 distinguish themselves by a good style of action with 
 their arms ; which deficiency generally proceeds from 
 the mediocrity of the principles they receive from 
 bad teaching, or else it originates in their own negli- 
 gence, believing, as I have known many do, that if 
 they possess a brilliant mode of execution with their 
 legs, they can do very well without the fine additional 
 ornament of the arms ; and thus they exempt them- 
 selves from the labour which so important a study 
 requires. 
 "When the arms accompany each movement of the 
 
THEORY OF THBATEICAL DANCING. 25 
 
 body with exactitude, they may be compared to the 
 frame that sets off a picture. But if the frame is so 
 constructed as not to suit the painting, however well 
 done the latter may be, much of its effect is unquestion- 
 ably lost. Even so it is with a dancer; for what 
 gracefulness soever she may display in the performance 
 of her steps, unless her arms be lithsome, and in 
 strict harmony with her legs, her dance can have no 
 spirit nor liveliness; and she presents the same 
 insipid appearance as a painting oiit of its frame, or 
 in one not at all adapted to it. 
 
 Should you not be favoured with well made rounded 
 arms, you cannot bestow too much attention on 
 them, endeavouring to supply by art what nature 
 has left you defective in. Diligent study and exercise 
 often render a thin, long, angular arm, tolerably round 
 and elegant. 
 
 Learn also to hold your arms as best accords with 
 your physical construction. If you are short in 
 stature let them be higher than the general rule pre- 
 scribes, and if tall let them be lower. A good dancer 
 should omit nothing that may tend to remedy or 
 conceal her personal defects. It is one of those 
 necessary accomplishments to which the mind of 
 every one who desires to become a skilful artist 
 ought to be directed. 
 
 Take care to make your arms so encircling that the 
 points of your elbows may be imperceptible. From a 
 want of proper attention in this respect they are 
 deprived of all softness and elegance, and instead of 
 presenting to the eye rounded and graceful outlines, 
 (see figures 1, 4, 5, Plate i.) they exhibit nothing 
 but a series of angles destitute of taste and graceful- 
 
26 THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 ness (see figures 1, 2, 3, Plate iii.) unpleasing to the 
 spectator, and imparting to all your attitudes a 
 grotesque and ~ caricature-like appearance which 
 make you only an object of ridicule to the painter. 
 
 Let the point of junction of the shoulder-bone with 
 the lower bone of the arm be level with the palm of 
 your hand, your shoulders low and always motion- 
 less, your elbows round and well supported, and your 
 fingers gracefully grouped together. The position and 
 carriage of your arms must be soft and easy. Let 
 them make no extravagant movement, nor permit 
 the least stiffness to creep into their motions. 
 Beware lest they be jerked by the action and reaction 
 of your legs: this is a great fault and sufficient to 
 spoil a dancer, what perfection soever she may 
 possess in the exercise of her legs. 
 
 Simple position of the arms, figure 1, Plate i. 
 Position of the wrist and fingers, figure 2, Plate i. 
 Arms in the second position, figure 1, Plate i. 
 Arms in opposition, figure 4, Plate i. 
 Arms encircling above the head, figure 5, Plate i. 
 Half-arm, or Demi bras, figure 2, Plate ii. 
 Opposition of the Demi bras, figure 3, Plate i. 
 Position of the arms in various attitudes. Plates 
 
 v., vi., vii., viii., ix. 
 Position of the arms in arabesques. Plates x., 
 xi., xii. 
 N.B. It must be observed that in arabesques the 
 position of the arms deviates from the general rule ; 
 
THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 27 
 
 it must, therefore, be left to the good taste of the 
 dancer, who must arrange them as gracefully as 
 possible. 
 
 Position of the hands in different attitudes and 
 
 arabesques, figure 5, Plate v. 
 Defective positions of the arms, figures 1, 2, 3, 
 Plate iii. 
 
28 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Principal positions with theie derivatives, 
 
 PREPARATIONS AND TERMINATIONS OP STEPS AND Temps ; 
 POSES ; ATTITUDES, ARABESQUES, GROUPS AND 
 
 ATTITUDES De Genre. 
 
 Always keep your body well up, and especially your 
 head, even in the least emphasized poses (see Plate v.) : 
 if not, your performance will be void of expression, 
 and your position or attitude become insipid. In 
 some of the first positions of dancing the head is 
 placed fronting ; these are poses of attitude. 
 
 Action of the Head. 
 
 Never let your head rest perpendicularly upon your 
 shoulders, but incline it a little to the right or to the 
 left, whether your eyes are cast up or downwards or , 
 straight forwards ; as it is essential that it should 
 have a pleasing yet natural vivacity of motion, and 
 not appear inactive and heavy. 
 
 Endeavour to hold your body in a perfect 
 equilibrium ; to which end never let your limbs depart 
 from the perpendicular line that should fall from the 
 centre of the collar bone down between the ankles of 
 the two feet. (See figures 4 and 5, Plate i. ; figure 5, 
 Plate ii. ; figure 1, Plate iv. ; figures 1, 2, 3, 4, Plate 
 V, ; figure 4, Plate vii, ; see also chapter iii.) 
 
THEOEY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 29 
 
 Attitude. 
 
 The pit of the neck must correspond perpendicularly 
 with the feet ; if you move one leg forwards the pit 
 then goes back out of its perpendicularity with the 
 foot, if backwards it is thrown to the front and thus 
 changes its place with every variation of position. 
 
 Besides a graceful carriage let the dancer acquire 
 uprightness: in forming an exact counterpoise with 
 every part of her frame, she will thus enable herself 
 to support her body on one leg and also to obtain 
 an elegant style of attitude upon both. (See Plates 
 viii., X., xi., xii.) 
 
 Of the centre of gravity in a dancer. 
 
 The weight of a man standing on one leg is divided 
 in an equal manner on the point that sustains the 
 whole, (see figure 1, Plate x.,) and as he moves, the 
 central line of gravity passes exactly through the 
 middle of the leg that rests wholly on the ground. 
 (See figure 1, Plate viii.) 
 
 Counterpoise. 
 
 A person that carries a burden placed out of the 
 central line of her body, must necessarily add from 
 her own weight, a balance sufficient to counter-balance 
 it on the opposite side, and thus form a true equili- 
 brium round the centre of gravity. (See figure 2, 
 Plate viii.) But in certain attitudes which the dancer 
 throws herself into as she springs from the ground, 
 as al^o in inclined arabesques such as that in figure 
 8, Plate xi., the central line of gravity is not placed 
 in the same manner as it is in the figures of the 
 Plates i., ii., iii., iv. See also figure 1, Plate ix,, 
 figure 1, Plate x., as relating to this remark, 
 
30 THEOEY OF THBATEICAL DANCING. 
 
 0/ the figure that moves against the wind. 
 
 A dancer that goes against the mnd, in whatever 
 direction it may be, ought to preserve with exaqtitude 
 the centre of gravity of the hne that supports her. 
 See figures 2, 4, and 5, seen from different sides, Plate 
 xiv. See also figures 1, 2, 3, Plate xiv., and figure 4, 
 same Plate, which represents a Bacchanalian group 
 which I composed during the first year that I was 
 engaged at the theatre La Scala at Milan. 
 
 That peculiar position technically termed attitude is 
 the most elegant but at the same time the most 
 difficult which dancing comprises. It is, in my opinion, 
 a kind of imitation of the attitude so much admired in 
 the Mercury of John of Bologna. See figures 1 and 2, 
 Plate viii., which exhibit two side views of it ; see 
 also figure 1, Plate ix., representing the statue 
 of Mercury. A dancer that studies this attitude 
 and performs it well, is sure to be noticed as 
 one who has acquired the best notions of her art. 
 Nothing can be more agreeable to the eye than those 
 charming positions which we call arabesques and which 
 we have derived from antique basso relievos, from a 
 few fragments of Greek paintings, and from the 
 paintings in fresco at the Vatican, executed after the 
 beautiful designs of Eaphael. 
 
 Arabica ornamenta, as a term in painting, means 
 those ornaments composed of plants, shrubs, light 
 branches and flowers, with which the artist adorns 
 pictures, panels, friezes, &c. As a term in architecture, 
 arabesque signifies various fanciful foliages, stalks, 
 &c., with which pediments and entablature are often 
 embellished. The taste for this sort of ornament was 
 
THEOEY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 81 
 
 brought to us by the Moors and Arabs from whom 
 the name is taken. Our dancing masters have 
 also introduced the term into their art, as expressive 
 of the picturesque groups which they have formed of 
 male and female dancers, interlaced in a thousand 
 different manners one with another, by means of 
 garlands, crowns, hoops entwined with flowers, and 
 sometimes ancient pastoral instruments which they 
 hold in their hands. These attitudes, so delightful 
 and enchanting, remind us of the beautiful Bacchantes 
 that we see on antique basso relievos, and by their 
 aerial lightness, their variety, their liveliness, and the 
 numberless contrasts they successively present, have 
 in a manner rendered the word arabesque natural and 
 proper to the art of dancing. I may flatter myself on 
 being the first to give the precise meaning to this 
 expression as applied to our art, without which ex- 
 planation it might afford a motive for derision to 
 painters and architects to whom it originally and 
 exclusively belonged. 
 
 Dancers should learn from these chaste pieces of 
 sculpture and painting the real mode of displaying 
 themselves with taste and gracefulness. They are a 
 fount of beauty whereto all who aspire to distinction 
 must resort for purity and correctness of design. In 
 the Bacchanalian group above mentioned I introduced 
 with some success various attitudes, arabesques and 
 groupis, the ideas of which I had conceived on seeing 
 the paintings, bronzes and marbles excavated from 
 the ruins of Herculaneum, and by these additional 
 images rendered its appearance more picturesque, 
 Characteristic and animated (see figure 4, Plate xiv., 
 the principal group). Those precious monuments of 
 
32 
 
 THEORY OF THEATEICAL DANOIPG. 
 
 ancient skill have been repeatedly pronounced the 
 best models for the painter and sculptor; in my 
 opinion they are of equal service to the dancer. 
 
 Poses, preparations, and endings of steps and 
 temps, figure 4, Plate iv., figures 1, 2, '8 & 4, 
 Plate V. i 
 
 N.B. Enchainements and steps may be also 
 finished in attitudes and arabesques. 
 Different attitudes, Plates vi. & vii. 
 Attitude as technically so denominated, figure 1, 
 
 Plate viii. 
 The same, side view, figure 2, Plate viii. 
 Different ways of resting in attitudes, figures 3 
 
 & 4, Plate viii. 
 Derivatives of the attitude, figures 2 & 3, Plate 
 
 ix. 
 Example of the attitude of the Mercury of John 
 
 of Bologna. 
 Arabesques Plates x., xi., xii. 
 Arabesques, on both legs, figure 4, Plate vii. 
 Arabesques, back view, figures 3 & 4, Plate xi., 
 
 figure 4, Plate vii. 
 Groups, attitude de genre, Plate xiv. 
 N.B. I have left out several ' attitudes stind ara- 
 besques upon one foot resting flat on the ground, and 
 the same arabesques upon two feet, which are done 
 by merely putting down the leg that is in the air, as 
 represented in figure 4, Plate vii,, which is derived 
 from the arabesque shown in figure 4, Plate xi. 
 
 Attitudes, poses and arabesques, may be varied 
 ad infinituin,{or the slightest change in the situation of 
 the body, in the opposition of the arms, or the motions 
 of the legs, when all is happily combined, must 
 
THEOalt OF XHEATEICAL DANCING. 33 
 
 produce an immense diversity. It is the good taste 
 of the dancer that must decide on the best manner of 
 combining and changing them, taking especial care 
 to make them appropriate to the style and character 
 of her dancing. These modified attitudes are most 
 practised in the enchatnements of groups, similar to 
 those presented in figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of 
 Plate xiv. 
 
34 
 
 CHAPTEB VI. 
 
 Op Temps, Steps, EnchaAnements and of the 
 Entrechat. 
 
 Let your grands temps be wide, bold and easy: 
 perform them with preciseness; in ending them be 
 upright and firm on your legs. In all your terre-a- 
 t&rre steps you cannot be too active about the instep, 
 nor bend your feet too much downwards; as the 
 former gives your execution considerable brilliancy, 
 and the latter renders it light and graceful. 
 
 A truly good dancer ought to throw a sort of light 
 and shade into her steps, and by great exactness of 
 performance, distinctly mark each variation she 
 makes in them. In all your elevations develop a 
 sinewy strength, and let your steps of elevation 
 contrast agreeably with the rapidity of your terre-a- 
 terre steps. Do not, however, forget to regulate your 
 choice of steps according to the kind of dancing you 
 have adopted, as also according to your physical 
 construction. 
 
 In your enchoAnements, let variety and novelty be 
 your constant aim ; carefully study their composition, 
 and do all that your taste points out, to make 
 yourself agreeable. Never intermingle with them 
 any elevated steps, or steps that require much 
 strength to perform, and beware lest you relax into 
 coolness by too long pauses, as the one or the other of 
 
THEOM OP THEATRICAL DANClKG. SS 
 
 these faults would unavoidably destroy all the effects 
 which enchainements produce, when correctly executed 
 to a quick and lively music. 
 
 The entrechat is a light brilliant step, during the 
 performance of which, the dancer's legs rapidly cross 
 each other, and then come down again in the fifth 
 position or attitude upon one leg, as in the entrechat 
 a dnq, a sept, a tieuf, the cabriole, brises and the 
 ronde-de-jam^e en fair ; all these steps, ending thus 
 on one leg, may also finish in any of the attitudes 
 and arabesques pointed out in the plates referred to 
 at the close of the foregoing chapter. Entrechats 
 are generally begun with an assemble, cov/pe or jette : 
 the body then springs into the air, and the legs pass 
 to the fifth position to cross and cut. 
 
 In entrechats you may cut four, six, eight, ten, and 
 even twelve times if you possess the requisite strength. 
 Some can go as far as fourteen, but such efforts have 
 a disagreeable effect, and occasion nothing more in 
 the beholder, than wonder at the extraordinary 
 muscular powers of the leaper. When a dancer 
 endeavours to make too great a number of cuts, she 
 cannot finish her entrechat in time, and her body, 
 shaken by such rapid movements, writhes in a variety 
 of contortions, that offend the eye of the spectator. 
 The most elegant entrechats are entrechat a six and the 
 entrechat a six ouvert done by opening at the third cut 
 (see Plate xii., figure 4,) and the entrechat a huit. 
 The following different entrechats may be done in 
 turning: entrechat a cinq dessus; entrechat d, cinq 
 dessous ; brise de cote dessus et dessous ; en arriere et en 
 avant; entrechat a cinq de cote et en arriere; sissone 
 battue en avant et sissone battue derriere ; entrechat a 
 
06 IfiEORY OP THEATElCAL DANCING. 
 
 quatre sur une jambe ; entrechat a sept en avant et en 
 arriere; la cabriole a un et a deux temps; la cabriole 
 Italienne en avant et en arriere; les deux ronde des 
 jambes en dehors et en dedans, dc, excepting the 
 entrechat a cinq de cote et en arriere, the entrechat a 
 sept en avant and the cabriole. The entrechat a six 
 may be done in turning. 
 
 Observations on the Entrechat and on the manner of 
 
 beating and crossing in close-legged and 
 
 bow-legged dancers. 
 
 In the case of close-legged dancers. 
 
 The contraction of the muscles, occasioned by the 
 efforts of leaping, stiffens each joint, and' forces every 
 part back into its natural place. The knees thus 
 compelled to turn inwards, regain their primitive 
 thickness, which greatly hinders the beatings of the 
 entrechat. The more united are the legs at these 
 upper parts, and divided at their extremities, the 
 more incapable are they of beating or crossing ; they 
 rema^i there nearly motionless during the action of 
 the knees, which in consequence appear to rub 
 uncouthly one against the other, and thtis the entrechat 
 being neithei^ cut, beaten, nor crossed at the feet, 
 cannot have that rapidity and brilliancy which con- 
 stitute its principal merit. A good method of studying, 
 diligent practice, and time, as I have already 
 intimated, are the only means of remedying this defect. 
 
 In the case of bow-legged dancers. 
 
 Bow-legged dancers are sinewy, rapid, and brilli^ 
 ant in all things that require more strength thaq 
 
THBOBY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 37 
 
 agility. Sinewy and light on account of the direction 
 of their muscular faisceaux, and the thickness and 
 resistance of their articular ligaments ; rajpid because 
 they cross more low than high, their feet having but 
 a small distance to perform the beating steps in ; and 
 brilliant by reason of the light being so very 
 conspicuous between their legs as they cross or 
 uncross. This light is precisely what we may term 
 the light and shade of dancing ; for if the temps of the 
 entrechat be neither cut nor beaten, but on the 
 contrary, rubbed or rolled one upon the other, there 
 is no light to relieve the shade, and the legs, through 
 being too closely joined, present an indistinct mass, 
 void of brilliancy and effect. Bow-legged dancers are 
 usually not very skilful, as they chiefly reckon on 
 their bodily strength. This very strength it is that 
 opposes the greatest obstacle to their acquiring ease 
 and pliancy. 
 
 Observations on a person in the act of leaping. 
 
 " Nature instructs and acts of itself, without any 
 assistance from reason. When a person wishes to 
 leap, he rapidly elevates his arms and shoulders, 
 which are thus simultaneously set in motion, together 
 with part of the body, and remain elevated so long as 
 they are supported by the movement of the body (the 
 loins of which are bent,) and by the impulse of the 
 joints or springs of the thighs, knees and feet. This 
 extension is made in two directions, upwards and 
 forwards ; the motion to send the body forwards, places 
 it so at the moment of the leap ; and that destined to 
 carry it up, makes it describe a large segment of a 
 circle, rendering the leap yet more rapid." 
 
88 THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 Leonardo da Vinci here gives us a true definition of 
 the actions of a man in leaping, and the means he 
 employs to spring from the ground. He explains the 
 strength and impetuosity of the arms and shoulders 
 and their movements, and the manner in which they ' 
 raise the hody up after them. He points out the 
 position of the hody bent and resting gracefully on 
 the hips and knees, which by bending prepare to 
 give the impulse and facilitate the spring of the instep. 
 Much study is required to make these movements in 
 a graceful manner, for if done carelessly nothing can 
 be more uncouth. 
 
 In entrechats and steps of elevation a dancer can 
 display every attitude and arabesque. According to 
 my opinion the finest positions are such as are shown 
 by figures 1, 2, 3, 4, Plate xiii., and by figure 4, 
 Plate xii. 
 
 For entrechats and steps of elevation where the 
 body is inclining forwards, see figures 2, 4, Plate xiii. 
 For entrechats and steps of elevation where the body 
 is inclining backwards, figures, Plate xiii. Ordinary 
 elevation of a dancer, figure 4, Plate xii. Elevation 
 of two feet in height, figure 5, Plate xii. 
 
 Attitudes of a dancer in Temps of elevation and 
 entrechats. Figure 4, Plate xii., figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 
 Plate xiii. 
 
 Elevation of two feet, figure 5, Plate xii. 
 
39 
 
 CHAPTEE VII. 
 
 Pirouettes. 
 
 Of the manner in which a dancer must prepare 
 
 for the execution op her pirouettes ; of the 
 
 various positions she may take in turning, 
 
 and of the different ways of stopping 
 
 and ending them. 
 
 The art of dancing has been carried to so eminent a 
 degree of perfection by Dauberval, Gardel, Vestris 
 and other famous artists, that Noverre, who died 
 during the first period known in the annals of Terpsi- 
 chore, would have been surprised at the rapidity of 
 its progress. The dancers of the early part of the last 
 century were inferior to those who flourished 
 towards the latter end of it, and still more to those of 
 the beginning of the present age. We cannot but 
 admire the perfection to which modern dancers have 
 brought their art. They have a much more refined 
 taste than their predecessors, and their performance 
 is full of gracefulness and charms. Among our 
 ancient artists those beautiful temps of perpendicu- 
 larity and equilibrium, those elegant attitudes and 
 enchanting arabesques were unknown. That ener- 
 getic execution, that multiplicity of steps, that variety 
 of enchatnements and pirouettes were not then in 
 practice, and the rising art, unadorned with these 
 complicated embellishments, confined the performer 
 within the narrow limits of simplicity. 
 
40 THEORY OF THEATEICAL DANCING. 
 
 We must, however, grant in favour of our old 
 masters that they very much excelled us in the 
 serious and grave kind of dance, and that Dupre and 
 Vestris the elder, were the most perfect models in 
 this valued branch of dancing, in which they have 
 been equalled by very few of their followers. It is 
 true they possessed not that diversified execution, 
 that abundance of steps and variety of movements 
 now in vogue, but they were always extremely correct 
 in what little they did. At present the art of 
 dancing is become so complicated, and each dancer 
 devotes herself so much to every branch, that it is 
 somewhat difficult to meet with a dancer who succeeds 
 completely in any one branch. 
 
 "Qui trop embrasse, mal etreinte." 
 
 " Who aims at much, completes but little." 
 
 Pirouettes owe their origin to the surprising 
 advancement made of late years in dancing; they 
 were unknown to Noverre and all our old masters, 
 who thought it impossible to go beyond the three 
 turns on the instep. The best dancers of the day 
 prove the contrary, and owing to their steady upright- 
 ness, and the unshaken equilibrium which they 
 observe as they revolve round, we may say that the 
 present execution of pirouettes is really extraordinary. 
 All good judges, I am confident, will acknowledge this 
 to be true. They are aware how much labour it costs 
 to hold oneself erect on one leg, and how much 
 greater to do so on one's toes. Imagine, therefore, what 
 difficulty there must be in turning in such a position 
 without the slightest jerk in any part of the body. 
 
 We may re^isonably consider Messrs. Gardel and 
 Vestris as the inventors of pirouettes : the latter, by 
 
THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 41 
 
 perfecting and diversifying them, brought them most 
 into vogue. Succeeding dancers improved on these, 
 and performed some of all kinds in a most wonderful 
 manner. 
 
 A pirouette of three or four turns in the second 
 position and stopped in the same, or in an attitude, 
 offers the greatest proof of a dancer's equilibrium. 
 Nothing is more difficult in dancing than the perfor- 
 mance of this pirouette. 
 
 Pirouettes require considerable exercise and study. 
 One whom nature has favoured with pliancy and 
 agility is always able to perform them gracefully, but 
 the dancer who is light about the hips, whose legs are 
 not sufficiently lithsome to open with ease, and who, 
 therefore, cannot turn well on the instep, never meets 
 with more than a partial success. Such a dancer 
 should abandon all thoughts of distinguishing herself 
 in the higher kind of pirouettes. It is the same with 
 respect to bow-legged dancers, and those who are of 
 too vigorous a construction, the strength of their 
 muscles deprives them of flexibility and softness, and 
 their bodies are ever wavering as they turn round. 
 Slender and close-legged dancers are far better 
 adapted to this kind of step than the last mentioned ; 
 their limbs are more supple and pliant, and in 
 general more turned out ; three essential quaUties in 
 performing a good pirouette. 
 
 The sole of the fbot is the true basis on which our 
 whole machine is supported. A sculptor would be 
 working in vain were he to rest his statue on a round 
 and moveable foundation ; it would undoubtedly fall 
 and be broken to pieces. A dancer for the same 
 reason must not be seen vacillating on the point of 
 
42 THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 support ; but by making use of all her toes as so many 
 branches or roots, the expansion of which, increasing 
 the space of ground she rests upon, maintains her 
 body in a steady equilibrium, she must fasten herself 
 in a manner to the board and hold herself with firm- 
 ness and uprightness. If she neglects to do this her 
 pirouette will be far from pleasing, her foot will lose 
 its natural shape, and roll backwards and forwards 
 from the great to the little toe ; this sort of wavering 
 motion caused by the convexity of the toes, when in 
 that position, impedes all stabiUty, and by the vacillat- 
 ing of the instep the equilibrium is entirely lost. 
 
 Let your body be steadily fixed on your legs before 
 you begin to do your pirouette (See figure 3, Plate 
 vii.) and place your arms in such a position as to give 
 additional force to the impulse which sends you 
 round, and also to act as a balance to counterpoise 
 every part of your body as it revolves on your toes. 
 
 Previous to the commencement of a pirouette, 
 either from the inside or the outside, the dancer may 
 pause in any sort of attitude or arabesque in which 
 she intends to end her enchamement ; but the positions 
 best suited to her preparation, and that are generally 
 chosen on account of the body being already upright 
 on the legs, are the positions represented in figures 3, 4, 
 5, Plate i., figure 4, Plate iv., figures 1, 4, Plate v., 
 figure 1, Plate vi., figure 1, Plate viii. 
 
 The usual attitudes adopted in the performance 
 of pirouettes are those of the second position, figure 1, 
 Plate vi., figure 1, Plate viii., and on the instep, figure 
 4, Plate ix. But why should dancers limit them- 
 selves to these positions of the body during the per- 
 formance of their pirouettes ? When an artist has 
 
THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 43 
 
 once acquired an easy method of turning on her toes, 
 a little exercise will soon enable her to turn in an 
 arabesque or any other different attitude. I was one 
 of the first to go out of the common track in this 
 respect and, possessing much facility in the perform- 
 ance of pirouettes, I obtained some success in the 
 new kind I invented, one of which is done in the 
 following manner: — turn three times round in the 
 second position, then place the leg and the arms, in 
 the arabesque attitude shown by figure 4, Plate x., 
 and give three or four more turns in that attitude, 
 ending it in the same. When this pirouette is 
 correctly performed it has a very, graceful effect. 
 
 Another very beautiful pirouette which I invented 
 is this: — having turned a few times in the second 
 position change it into that of the arabesque repre- 
 sented in figure 3, Plate xi. ; stretch out your body, 
 and incline, it forwards as much as possible, whilst 
 your head, and arms gracefully follow its motion. 
 This pirouette has something in it of a magical 
 appearance, for as the body leans so much over and 
 seems on the point of falling at each turn of the 
 pirouette, one might think there was an invisible 
 power that supported the dancer, who counter- 
 balances the eccentricity from the line of gravity by 
 the positions of the arms and legs and the great 
 rapidity of the motions. I believe this pirouette to 
 be the most difScult that can be performed. I have 
 sometimes turned in the attitude of figure 4, Plate 
 viii., which is a pirouette of much gracefulness, and 
 produces a good effect ;' the angular position of the 
 right arm giving it a peculiar brilliancy. It' may be 
 made much use of in a fas de charactere. 
 
44 THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 On one occasion, performing the part of Mercury, I 
 took as I turned in my pirouette the attitude of the 
 statue of Mercury by John of Bologna, figure 1 Plate ix. 
 This fine position is very difficult to stand in. Unless 
 a dancer is naturally arched he can never do it well, 
 and the pirouette loses all its effect. The body must 
 lean forward and the right arm develope itself almost 
 entirely. The leg that is in attitude must be bent, 
 and by its motion accompany the rounding contour of 
 the position of the body. To render this attitude yet 
 more graceful let the dancer stretch out his left arm, 
 in which the caduceus is held : this takes off the angle 
 at his elbows that would otherwise be presented, and 
 gives the pirouette much more elegance. As to the 
 manner in which the gesture expressive of the 
 motive of this figure can be given, it should be 
 remembered that the position of it is determined 
 once for all, and therefore should not be tampered 
 with. 
 
 I. shall conclude by telling the pupil that she may 
 pirouette in any kind of attitude or arabesque, 
 provided that the design of the , body, arms and legs 
 be graceful, and every movement natural and free 
 from affectation, n 
 
 Pirouettes may be ended in any position, attitude, 
 or arabesque whatever. The following are the various 
 different sorts of pirouettes : pirouettes a petits batte- 
 vients on the instep, pirouette a ronde de jamhe ; a la 
 seconde avec grand ronde de jamhe; avec fouette, 
 pirouette en attitude, en arabesque; pirouette swr le 
 coude pied; pirouette en dedans a la seconde sur le 
 coude pied et en attitude; pirouette renversee ; pirouettes 
 composees, dc. 
 
THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 45 
 
 Position of the dancer in the beginning of a pirou- 
 ette from the outside, figure 3, Plate vii. 
 
 N.B. The feet should be placed between the 
 second and fourth position in the inside of the circle 
 of the pirouette. 
 
 Position of the dancer in beginning a pirouette 
 from, the inside, figure 4, Plate vii. 
 
46 
 
 CHAPTEE VIII. 
 
 Of the sebious dancbe, the Demi-charactere, and 
 
 THE COMIC DANCER. 
 
 It is useless for a dancer to devote herself to the 
 serious or heroic branch of her art, unless she is 
 gifted with symmetry of form and elevation of 
 stature ; indispensable qualities for excellence in this 
 kind of dancing. Those whose persons approach 
 nearest in height and shape to the statues of Apollo 
 or of Antinous, of the Troaian Venus or of Diana, 
 are perfectly adapted to serious dancing. But they 
 would never do for the demi-charactere or the 
 pastoral. They are too majestic. (See figure 1, 
 Plate xiv.) 
 
 All who ■wish to signalise themselves in this sort of 
 performance must be of a noble, elegant and elevated 
 carriage, replete with dignity and gracefulness, but 
 void of the least affectation. The serious is the most 
 difficult branch of dancing, it requires a close study, 
 and cannot be duly appreciated but by connoisseurs 
 and men of a refined and pure taste. She who excels 
 in it deserves the highest applause. A correct 
 execution of an adagio is the ne plus ultra of our art ; 
 I look on it as the touchstone of the dancer. 
 
 It is truly to be lamented that this, the finest style of 
 dancing, is now so much neglected, I might perhaps 
 say completely lost. The causes of this sad aban- 
 
THEORY OF THEATEIOAL DANCING. 47 
 
 donment are chiefly attributable to that confusion of 
 its different branches which at present disfigures 
 the art of dancing : to that want of perseverance 
 and study in most dancers, and to that vicious 
 taste so conspicuous amongst most of those who 
 frequent our theatres. Our .masters, as I have 
 before observed, were perfect in this style; but 
 they have had very few followers. I know only 
 one dancer capable of executing it to advantage; 
 but let him not by an ill-placed complaisance 
 endeavour to please a crowd of ignorant spectators. 
 It is nevertheless in some measure to the artist that 
 it belongs to bring back public taste to what is really 
 good and beautiful by persisting in performing accord- 
 ing to the true rules of art. It was said in one of the 
 Parisian papers, speaking of my debut at the Eoyal 
 Academy of Music,, that "for some length of time past 
 the noble and serious kind of dancing has been 
 treated with a singular contempt. It is indeed 
 difficult to imagine how a dancer can give herself up 
 to a branch of the art which is not popular, and yet 
 serious dancing possesses its peculiar attractions. 
 The beauty of the positions, the majesty of the move- 
 ments, the dignity of the step, &c., give a certain 
 character of importance to this kind of dancing, and 
 allow us, comparing one art with another, to say that 
 it is like sculpture. The ancients were very partial 
 to this sort of recreation and cultivated it with great 
 success. And if we despise it and neglect it, it is because 
 we are far beneath that perfection which the Greeks 
 and the Eomans once obtained. Their mimic play 
 bore some analogy to our grave style which is a reason 
 why we should encourage the small number of dancers 
 
48 THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 ■who devote themselves to these performances. At 
 some future time they may perhaps afford us an 
 enjoyment which has hitherto been unknown to us." 
 
 This last sentence proves how great is the decay of 
 the beautiful serious style of dancing : since the enjoy- 
 ments which it promises are unknown to the public 
 of the present day. 
 
 A serious or heroic dancer should be perfectly 
 shaped in the legs, have a well-formed instep, and be 
 extremely flexible and easy about the hips ; without 
 these essential qualities she cannot succeed in the 
 line she has taken. In all other kinds of dancing it is 
 not so requisite to possess these peculiar qualities in 
 the same perfection, as in this. That preciseness and 
 correctness which we always expect to see in the 
 heroic artist, are not exacted from a demi- 
 charactere or comic dancer. The heroic dancer musf 
 pre-eminently distinguish herself by the dignity of the 
 upper part of her body, by the most harmonious 
 combination of movements in her arms, and by the 
 perfect finish of her execution in accordance with the 
 best rules of the art. 
 
 This kind bf dancing comprises the most beautiful 
 developments, all the grand temps, and the noblest 
 steps. The performer must attract the beholder's 
 attention by the elegance of her design, the correct- 
 ness of her poses, and the gracefulness of her attitude 
 and arabesques. The finest pirouette in the second 
 position, in attitude or on the instep, entrechats and 
 all other temps d'elevation are required in this serious 
 branch. We thus perceive that the performance of 
 the heroic dances in our days is much more compli- 
 cated than that of our predecessors, and that such an 
 
tCHEOM OP THEATRICAL DAKCING. 49 
 
 artist must now possess a great number , of 
 accomplishments. 
 
 The demi-charactere dancer ought to be of the middle 
 stature and of a slender and elegant shape. Those 
 who are gifted with the proportions of Canova's 
 Mercury or of his Hebe, are well suited to this 
 charming kind of dancing. 
 
 This demi-cliaractere is a mixture of every style. 
 Those who devote themselves to it, may make use of 
 all the temps and steps which the art of dancing 
 possesses. Their performance, however, must be 
 noble and elegant, their temps d'abandon executed 
 with some little restraint, and a certain amiable 
 dignity ought to accompany their dance throughout. 
 The demi-charactere does not admit those grand temps 
 of the serious kind. A dancer of the demi-charactere 
 is chiefly adapted to perform the parts of Mercury, 
 Paris, Zephyr, or a Faun, and to represent the 
 elegant and graceful manners of a Troubadour, &c. 
 
 The comic and pastoral must be the department of 
 those whose persons are of the middle stature, who are 
 thick set and vigojrously constructed ; and if a dancer 
 together with these almost athletic proportions 
 possesses a stature a little above the ordinary size, she 
 is perfectly framed for the performance of character 
 steps, the greater part of which belong to the 
 comic branch. In my opinion, the very type of this 
 branch consists in the imitation of all those natural 
 motions which have been denominated dances in 
 every age and amongst every people. To offer a true 
 picture of pastoral life, the dancer ia her performance 
 must copy and mimic the steps, attitudes, simplicity of 
 manner, and sometimes even those frolicsome and 
 
 D 
 
50 THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 rude motions of the villager, who, inspired by the 
 sounds of his rustic instruments, and animated by the 
 society and liveliness of his cherished companion, or 
 beloved mistress, gives his whole soul up, without 
 restraiot, to the pleasures of dancing. The pupil who 
 aspires to excellence in these imitations should study 
 nature and the best painters who have enlivened 
 their canvas with these interesting images. All 
 dancers of the comic cast ought to study character 
 steps, and imitate every kind of dancing peculiar to 
 this or that country, giving their attitudes and move- 
 ments the true national stamp of the dance they are 
 performing. That correctness, which artists of the 
 demi-charactere kind must possess, is not so rigorously 
 exacted from dancers of the comic and pastoral 
 branches. 
 
 The following are the character dances most 
 practised le Provengale, le Bolero, la Tarantelle, la 
 Busse, I'Erossaise, VAllemande, la Tyrolienne, la 
 Cosaque, la Fourlane. The Pas chinois, pas sabotiers, 
 VAnglaise, and steps of caricature, &c, belong to the 
 lower comic style. 
 
 For the serious or heroic kind of dancing see figure 
 1, Plate xiv. 
 
 For the demi-charactere see figure 2, Plate xiv. 
 
 For the comic kind see figure 3, Plate xiv. 
 
 Example of the composition of groups, attitudes de 
 genre, and principal posture of Bacchanalian dance, see 
 figure 4, Plate xiv. 
 
 N.B. The explanation of the plates in their order 
 is given at the end of the Treatise. 
 
Si 
 
 CHAPTEE IX. 
 
 The Peeceptoe. 
 New Method of Insteuction. 
 
 A DANCES, after having been educated in the best 
 schools, must trust to her execution for attain- 
 ment to the first rank : one who knows the theory 
 only of the art can never be a good guide. An artist 
 should be a first rate practical dancer before pretend- 
 ing to the title of a master ; otherwise he cannot teach 
 except in a commonplace and mechanical manner; 
 nothing will be positive in his lessons, and his demon- 
 strations must be always uncertain and without force. 
 Incapable of imparting the true principles of a good 
 execution, he affords his pupil no means of gaining 
 success and distinction. A dancer coming from the 
 misguiding hands of such a professor cannot possibly 
 be perfect, she has not imbibed the true spirit of the 
 art, and her performance is invariably cold, inexpress- 
 ive and devoid of grace. She presents the spectator 
 with a picture incorrectly drawn, feebly coloured, 
 without any gradations of light and shade, and 
 therefore wanting effect, and if she does not possess 
 those qualities of design and colour, no less essential 
 in dancing than in painting, it is in vain for her to 
 hope to please and interest the beholder. 
 
62 THEORY Of THEATRICAL DANClNe. 
 
 I have, however, seen instances of dancers brought 
 up in a good school, who, from some circumstance or 
 other, not being able to attain pre-eminence on the 
 stage, have set themselves to teaching, and furnished 
 our theatres with excellent dancers. But the number 
 of such professors is very small, as nearly all those 
 who are not distinguished by their practical work are 
 incapable of producing a finished dancer. 
 
 A teacher to whom long exercise and experience 
 have given views out of the common run, will 
 always, before commencing to teach a pupil, 
 examine whether her construction is suited to the 
 attitude and motions of dancing ; and whether, as she 
 increases in growth, she will possess an elegant shape, 
 a graceful mien and perfect pliancy in her limbs ; for 
 without these natural gifts and dispositions towards 
 making a rapid progress in the study, the pupil will ^ 
 neither acquire skill nor reputation. 
 
 " ' 'se adequata 
 
 Nou avia la figura, nou impreuda 
 Un' arte si gentile e delicate." 
 
 A famous actor used to say that it is impossible to 
 excel on ' the stage without the assistance of nature. 
 These words, which experience itself dictated, are 
 replete with truth. 
 
 The age of eight years is the best time of life for 
 commencing the first rudiments of dancing ; the young 
 learner soon comprehends the demonstrations of her 
 preceptor, who, being then perfectly enabled to judge 
 of her physical powers, instructs her to much greater 
 advantage. 
 
 As soon as the master has prepared his pupil by 
 the first exercises, he should immediately make her 
 
THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 53 
 
 study the lesson, then perfect her in the temps d'ecole, 
 in the principal steps of dancing, and afterwards point 
 out and make her practise the kind of performance 
 best adapted to her disposition, physical construction, 
 and sex. 
 
 Men must dance in a manner very different from 
 women ; the temps de vigeur and bold majestic 
 execution of the former, would have a disagreeable 
 effect in the latter, who must shine and delight by 
 bright steps and graceful motions, and by a modest 
 voluptuousness and abandon in all their attitudes. 
 
 All who are of an elevated stature of either sex the 
 master must set apart for the serious and more noble 
 kind of dancing. Those of a middle height, and of a 
 slender and delicate form, let him appoint to the demi- 
 charactere or mixed kind., And those who are beneath 
 that height, and of thick set, vigorous construction, 
 let him devote to the comic branch and to steps of 
 character. The master should finish his' instructions 
 by instilhng into h^s pupils' mind, to make them 
 truly accomplished, the real spirit and charm of their 
 art. He must carefully point out the difference that 
 exists between one kind of dancing and another, fix 
 with preciseness the manner of its performance, and, 
 finally, render his pupils familiar with all the diversi- 
 fied modes of dancing, which the varieties of costume 
 they will have to adopt require. 
 
 If the pupil is endowed with a genius for composi- 
 tion, and a creative imagination, her master, skilful 
 in his art, should let her exercise her powers for the 
 invention and combination of steps, and make her 
 acquainted with the finest designs of choreography. 
 
 At the age of twenty-three or twenty-four years a 
 
54 THBOEY OP THEATEICAL DANCING. 
 
 dancer ought to have acquired the whole mechanism 
 of her art and possess the most brilliant execution she 
 is susceptible of attaining. In dancing, merit is not 
 estimated by the number of years the performer has 
 devoted to its practise. Nor is it to be under-rated as 
 she advances in life. A dancer of the age of forty, if 
 she be of a good school, and has been diligent in the 
 preservation of what she has learned, may, by 
 constant practice, still shine as an artist of the first 
 order. Of this we have many instances. 
 
 New method of Instruction. 
 
 In order to omit nothing which might help to make 
 a good dancer, I have added to the rules contained in 
 this part, figures which I have had drawn from nature ; 
 these represent the positions of the body, the arms, 
 and the legs, the different postures, the attitudes and 
 arabesques. The learners, having these examples 
 before their eyes, will easily understand the theoretical 
 principles which 1 have made known to them. The 
 poet of the Tiber judiciously observes : 
 
 " Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem 
 Qaam quae sunt ooulis subjecta fidelibus. . . ." 
 
 And in order that their execution may be correct I 
 have drawn lines for them over the principal positions 
 of these figures, which will give them an idea of the 
 exact form they are to place themselves in, and to 
 adopt in the different attitudes of dancing. It will 
 remain for the learners to study well these geometrical 
 lines, paying strict attention to their diversity. As 
 soon as they have rendered this task (which I may 
 
THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 55 
 
 venture to term " mathematical " by reason of its 
 precision) familiar to them, they will be sure to place 
 themselves properly, giving proofs that they have 
 been well taught, and have acquired a correct taste. 
 I have preferred this novel method, which is 
 undoubtedly a more sure and efficacious one, to that of 
 a long and wearying description of the movements in 
 dancing, which oftentimes do but perplex and confound 
 the learner. 
 
 Were I to form a dancing school I should immed- 
 iately put into practice amongst my pupils the 
 following method, which I believe would prove very 
 useful, and which all masters might adopt without 
 having any knowledge of drawing. I should compose 
 a sort of alphabet of straight lines, comprising all the 
 positions of the limbs in dancing, giving these lines 
 and their respective combinations their proper geo- 
 metrical appellations: for instance, perpendiculars, 
 horizontals, obliques, right angles, acute angles, 
 obtuse angles, &c., a language which I deem almost 
 indispensable in our lessons. These lines and figures, 
 drawn upon a large slate and exposed to the view of a 
 number of scholars, would be soon understood and 
 imitated by them, and the master would not then be 
 compelled to hold a long demonstrative course to each 
 of them separately. The most diligent might take 
 copies of those figures on small slates, and carry them 
 away to study at home, in the same manner as a 
 child when he begins to spell, studies his alphabet in 
 the absence of the master. Let the reader compare 
 the two following delineations with figures 1 and 3 of 
 Plate vi., and he will conceive a clearer idea of the 
 new system. 
 
56 THEORY OP THEATMOAL DANCING. 
 
 Fig. 1, plate VI. Fig, 3, plate VI. 
 
 It is necessary that the pupil should study these 
 geometrical lines and all their derivatives. If he 
 subjects himself to the task, he is certain of holding 
 himself correctly afterwards, and will show that he 
 received notions of a pure taste in the school at 
 which he was educated. 
 
 A teacher cannot too strongly recommend his 
 scholars to have incessantly before them those 
 master-pieces of painting and sculpture which hkve 
 bsen saved from the wreck of antiquity. Those 
 immortal offsprings of genius, those enrapturing 
 examples of the beau ideal of the fine arts, will 
 considerably assist the cultivation of their taste. A 
 dancer who does not know how to develop herself, 
 to assume attitudes that set off her shape, who is 
 deficient in gracefulness, and void of good taste, can 
 never afford the smallest delight to the connoisseur 
 and cultivated spectator. 
 
 Of the Composition of Steps. 
 
 I shall conclude with some advice, that may, perhaps, 
 be of service to young artists, who, having success- 
 fully combatted all the first difficulties of their art, 
 wish to betake themselves to the combination of steps. 
 
THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 57 
 
 Why should they not follow the example of Dupr6 
 in order to hasten their progress in this branch of 
 study ? That celebrated dancer used to dance extem- 
 pore to familiar airs ; by which means he rendered 
 his imagination more creative in the forming off- 
 hand of steps and enchainements and accustomed his 
 ear to catch the measure and rhythm of the music with 
 greater rapidity. 
 
 This exercise would prove extremely useful for 
 developing the genius of a youthful dancer. Her first 
 attempts might probably be incorrect, sometimes even 
 ungraceful, but when she has once laid the foundation 
 of the step, if I may use the term, she can afterwards 
 correct and make all the changes suitable to its per- 
 fection. I have often practised this extemporising, and 
 had the good fortune at least of producing some 
 things that were tolerable. I have frequently by this 
 exercise been enabled to compose with facility a 
 variety of steps which I had to execute in public, and 
 particularly when I allowed myself a little time to 
 perfect their combination. M. Gardel, speaking once 
 of our old dancers, mentioned, with approbation, this 
 practise of Dupre, who at the same time that he was 
 making himself an excellent dancer, gave full scope to 
 his genius. His remark struck me, and I immediately 
 set about imitating that distinguished performer. I 
 made my first essay under the eye of my father. 
 Whilst he extemporised on the pianoforte, I en- 
 deavoured to follow his musical intentions, and to 
 form pas de deux, de trois., which I afterwards 
 performed in the operas Raphael, Achille, Debutade, 
 &c. These essays were so fortunate as to meet with 
 general approbation. 
 
58 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 FiEST ExEBCiSEs. Temps : THE Lesson : Gait. 
 Elementary Positions. 
 
 In the first position the legs are quite straight, 
 the two heels close to each other, the feet turned com- 
 pletely out in a straight line (figure 1, Plate i.) 
 
 In the second position th^ legs are more apart but 
 only by the length of the foot (figure 2, Plate ii.) 
 
 In the third position the feet half cross each other 
 and are close together (figure 3, Plate i.) 
 
 The fourth position is very similar to the third, with 
 this difference, that the feet half cross each other 
 without touching (figure 1, Plate ii.) 
 
 In the fifth position the feet cross each other 
 entirely (figure 4, Plate i.) 
 
 In all these positions the knees must be bent with- 
 out raising the heels in the least from the ground ; 
 but to give flexibility and strength to the instep the 
 position should be often practised on the toes, (figure 
 5, Plate i., and figure 3, Plate ii.) 
 
 Battements. 
 
 A battement consists of the movement of one leg in 
 the air, whilst the other supports the body. They are 
 of three kinds, viz., grands battements, petits battements, 
 and battements on the instep. 
 
 Grands battements are done by detaching one leg 
 
THEORY OP THEATKICAL DANCING. 59 
 
 from the other and raisuig it to the height of the hip, 
 extending it to the utmost. (See figure 5, Plate ii., 
 which shows also the manner in which a beginner 
 must hold himself.) After the performance of the 
 battement, the leg falls again into the fifth position. 
 They may be crossed either behind or before. Grands 
 battements enable a dancer to turn her legs completely 
 outwards, and give much facility to the motions of her 
 thighs, for the high evolutions and the execution of 
 grands temps. Grands battements are made both 
 forwards and backwards : when they are done forwards 
 the leg must be in the positions shown in figure 1 & 2 
 of Plate iv : when backwards, its positions must be 
 that of figure 3, Plate iv. 
 
 Petits battements are performed in the same way, 
 but instead of raising the leg into the air you only 
 detach it a little from the other 'leg, without letting 
 your toes leave the ground. These battements make 
 the legs very lithsome, because the pupil is obliged to 
 make these movements very quickly. 
 
 Petits battements on the instep. It is the hip and 
 knee that prepare and form these movements; the 
 hip guides the thigh in its openings, and the knee by 
 its flexion performs the battemerds, making the lower 
 part of the leg cross either before or behind the other 
 leg, which rests on the ground. Suppose that you are 
 standing on your left foot, with your right leg in the 
 second position, and the right foot just touching the 
 ground at the toe ; cross before the left, by bending 
 your knee and opening again sideways, then bend the 
 knee again, crossing your foot behind, opening also 
 sideways ; and so continue to do seve^l of these batte- 
 ments one after the other. Gradually increase in 
 
60 THEOEY OP THEATEICAL DANCING. 
 
 quickness, till you can perform them so rapidly that 
 the eye cannot count them. These battements have 
 a very pretty effect, and give much brilliancy to the 
 motions of the legs. They should also be practised a 
 great deal with both legs resting on the toes. 
 
 Bonds dejamhes. 
 
 To begin your rond de jambeivom the outside take the 
 same position as that in which you commence your 
 petits battements. Suppose it is the left leg that stands 
 on the ground whilst the right in the second position 
 is prepared for the movement ; make it describe a semi- 
 circle backwards, which brings your legs to the first 
 position, and then continue on the s\^eep till it 
 completes the whole circle, ending at the place from 
 whence it started. This is what we technically term 
 rond de jambe. 
 
 The rond de jamhe from the inside is begun in the 
 same position, but the right leg, instead of commencing 
 the circle backwards, must do so forwards. After the 
 pupil has practised the ronds de jambe on the ground, 
 she should exercise herself in performing them in the 
 air, keeping the leg that supports her body on the toes. 
 
 The pupil in her first exercises ought to rest her 
 hand on something that she may keep herself upright, 
 and exercise each leg alternately. When she has 
 acquired some facility in this, let her practise without 
 holding ; this gives her uprightness and equilibrium, 
 essential qualities in a good dancer. She will also 
 thereby gain strength and the means of executing 
 with ease every kind of step. She must repeat this 
 practice daily to gain proficiency. For were she gifted 
 
THEOEy OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 61 
 
 with the rarest talent she could never become perfect 
 but by incessant application and study. 
 
 Of the Temps. 
 
 Temps is the general name given to any movement 
 of the leg. 
 
 Of the Pas. 
 
 The pas denotes the different ways of placing the legs 
 in walking or in leaping, either in a straight line or in 
 a circle. The name jpas is generally given to a combi- 
 nation of steps arranged to some musical air : thus we 
 say such an one made a beautiful pas on such a 
 chaccone or on such a gigue. Pas are often combined 
 for the performance of two or more persons ; pas de 
 deux, pas de trois, quatre, cinq, &c. 
 
 Of the Lesson. 
 
 The combination of elementary exercises and of the 
 principal steps of dancing is what is usually termed 
 the lesson. 
 
 The learner first exercises herself in bending her 
 knees in all the positions, in the practice of grands 
 and petits battements, the rond de jambe on the ground 
 and in the air, the petits battements on the instep, &c. 
 Afterwards come the temps de courante simples et 
 composes, the coupes a la premiere, a la seconde et 
 composes, the attitudes, the grand rond de jambe, 
 temps de chaccone, the grands fouettes facii^g and 
 revolving, the quart de tour, the pas de Bowrree and 
 the various movements of different kinds oi pirouettes . 
 These exercises tend to form a good dancer, and afiord 
 
62 THEORY OF THEAXEIOAL DANCING. 
 
 her the means of obtaining success. The lesson 
 concludes by the practise oi piroiiettes, of temps terre-a- 
 terre and temps de vigeur. 
 
 But after the pupil is enabled to perform all the 
 exercises which the lesson comprehends, she does not 
 yet attain the end which she in the beginning hoped 
 to reach. To become a finished dancer she must divest 
 herself of that schoolgirl appearance which necessarily 
 hangs about her, and by her boldness and ease of 
 execution at length show that she is mistress of her 
 art. Let her whole attention be then directed to 
 delighting her beholders by the elegance of her posi- 
 tions, the gracefulness of her movements, the 
 expressive animation of her features, and by a pleasing 
 abandon which ought to accompany every kind of 
 dancing. These qualities constitute a really perfect 
 dancer, and with them she is certain of enrapturing 
 all who behold her. 
 
 Gait. 
 
 A graceful manner of walking on the stage is of 
 much importance to a dancer, although a number of 
 our artists neglect it, both in moments of repose and 
 in presenting themselves to the public for the execu- 
 tion of a pas. This is a serious defect, as it in the 
 first place offends the eye, and secondly, deprives the 
 performance of its pleasing illusion. 
 
 A good gait is very useful, for in that consists one , 
 of the first qualities of a good dancer, which is a 
 graceful carriage. Let your legs be well extended in 
 theii" movements or steps, and your thighs turned 
 perfectly out, all the lower parts of your legs will then 
 be turned in the same manner. Your steps should be 
 
THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 63 
 
 no longer than the length of one of your feet. Avoid 
 stiffaesB in your movements, which must be neither 
 too slow nor too quick, as both extremes are equally 
 unpleasing. Do not separate your legs from each 
 other sideways. Carry your head upright and your 
 waist steadily ; by which means your body is kept in 
 an elegant position. Let your chest project a little, 
 keep your shoulders back and let your arms fall 
 naturally on each side. (See also Chapter iy.) 
 
64 
 
 CHAPTEE XL 
 
 On Pantomime and the studies necbssaey fob, a 
 Pantomimic Peefoembe. 
 
 " alto degli occlii e delle membra." 
 
 Tasso. 
 
 -art insenieux 
 
 De peindre la parole et de parlcr aux yeux." 
 
 BreJxBiif. 
 
 Having frequently reflected on Ballets and the 
 usual method of composing them, it has as frequently- 
 occurred to me, that their prevailing defects might be 
 removed; and that, by enlarging the pantomimic 
 department of them, and by improving the incidental 
 dancing, they might be advanced to something like 
 perfection. 
 
 Pantomime is, undoub]tedly, the very soul and 
 support of the Ballet. The art of gesture possesses 
 powers capable of raising an interest unknown to the 
 generality of artists ; and it is to the slight atten- 
 tion paid to this department, and to a want of 
 knowledge among composers, that must be attributed 
 the glaring imperfections that prevail throughout the 
 greater part of those pieces improperly styled Ballets, 
 which, however, are continually performed at theatres 
 of the first rank. 
 
 Gesture is the earliest sort of language that man 
 
TSBORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 65 
 
 acquires from nature. Children and savages make 
 use of it for the purpose of supplying their wants, It 
 is a means of communicating the ideas and the 
 sentiments of those who talk different languages, and 
 is, in fact, a resource for such unfortunate heings as 
 are deprived of the faculties of hearing and speaking. 
 What grounds are these then for exciting an interest 
 in favour of this imitative art, and for its cultivation ! 
 " Pantomime " says a great master of the fine arts, 
 " expresses with rapidity the movements of the soul — 
 it is the language of all nations — of all ages — and of 
 all occasions; it portrays more perfectly even than 
 speech itself, extreme grief or excessive joy." The 
 ardent mind of Diderot knew how to appreciate this 
 natural expression and he lavishes upon it all due 
 praise. 
 
 The following beautiful lines will, perhaps, convey 
 a still clearer idea of the importance of our subject : — 
 
 " Negli occhi, ove il sembiante piii si ficoa." 
 
 Dante. 
 
 '• £ ci6 eke lingua esprimer ben inon puote 
 Muta eloquenza ne 'suoi gesti espresse." 
 
 Tasso. 
 
 " Words (when the poet would your soul engage) 
 Are the mere garnish of an idle stage. 
 When passion rages, eloquence is mean ; 
 Gestures and looks best speak the moving scene." 
 
 Young. 
 
 " His rude expression and untutored airs, 
 Beyond the power of language, will unfold 
 The form of beauty, smiling at his heart ; 
 How lovely ! how commanding ! 
 
 Akenside. 
 
 Independently of the natural gestures, it is known 
 
66 THEORY OP THBATMOAL DANCING. 
 
 that the figurative and symbolical language of 
 motions, composed of regulated signs or signs of 
 intelligence, is sometimes more striking than the 
 slower and systematic language of words. This is the 
 origin of Pantomime. The Oriental nations have 
 adopted it, and are greatly attached to it. Their 
 imagination ardently availed itself of this mode of 
 expression — that is, expression by an imagery of 
 things, — and hence arises also their partiality for a 
 picturesque styld. It was from reflections like these, 
 which say so much in favour of the art of Pantomime, 
 that I studied the science of composing Ballets, and 
 of establishing more precise and exact rules for con- 
 ducting them, consulting on such a subject the rules 
 both of art and of taste. " Art furnishes rules, and 
 taste exceptions; taste discovers to us on what 
 occasions art ought to be subservient, and when in 
 turn the former should submit." Montesquieu. 
 
 " Man has three means of expressing his ideas and 
 feelings ; by speech, tone of voice, and gesture. By 
 gestures we understand those exterior movements 
 and attitudes of the body, which relate to the inward 
 operations of the mind. Gestus, says Cicero, est con- 
 formatio qucedam etfigii/ra totius oris et corporis. 
 
 " I name speech first because we generally pay more 
 attention to it than to the two others ; which latter 
 however possess many advantages over the former. 
 Our tone of voice and gesture are of a more natural 
 and extensive use; for by them we supply every 
 deficiency in speech. By gesture we present to the 
 eyes all that we cannot express^ to the ears ; it is a 
 universal interpreter that follows us to the very 
 extremities of the globe, and makes us intelligible to 
 
THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 67 
 
 the most uncivilized hordes. It is understood even by 
 animals. Speech is the language of reason ; it con- 
 vinces our minds: tones and gestures form a 
 sentimental discourse that moves the heart. Speech 
 can only give utterance to our passions by means of 
 reflection on their relative ideas. Voice and gesture 
 express them to those we address in an immediate and 
 direct manner. In short, speech, or rather the words 
 which compose it, is an artificial itrstitution, formed 
 and agreed upon between men for a more distinct 
 reciprocal communication of their ideas, whilst gesture 
 and the tone of voice, are, I may say, the dictionary 
 of simple nature ; they are a language innate in us, 
 and serve to exhibit all that concerns our wants and 
 the preservation of our existence ; for which reason 
 they are rapid, expressive and energetic. Such a 
 language, of which the terms are rather those of nature 
 than of cultivation, cannot but be an inexhaustible 
 source for an art whose object is to move the deepest 
 sensations of the soul." 
 
 These lines of Lb Batteur's speak sufficiently in 
 favour of pantomime and may serve for an intro- 
 duction to the lessons of the performer. 
 
 Gestures are of two kinds, natural and artificial. 
 The first are in our nature, we are born with them, 
 they are the outward signs of all that passes within 
 us. The latter we derive from art ; they express by 
 imitation all objects that are independent of ourselves. 
 Natwral gestures are th^ physical signs of our senti- 
 ments; artificial ones the emblems of all that is 
 outside the moral world. Those of the former kind 
 exhibit the emotions of love, sadness, anger, hatred, 
 joy, fear, pleasure, despair, &c., and are what we may 
 
68 THBOEY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 call the mechanical effects of our intellectual over our 
 physical being. Those of the latter sort serve to 
 represent objects, as a warrior, old age, a child, a 
 temple, a ship, arms, robes, &c. ; they can also 
 describe a storm, a fallen edifice, a fight, a death, &c. 
 There is another class of gestures, termed in 
 pantomime gestures of convention, which are often 
 necessary to cast a light on some obscure part of the 
 performance. These gestures of convention, which art 
 has created and custom established, paint those things 
 which we cannot perfectly understand but with the 
 assistance of our imagination, and all events the 
 multiplicity of which cannot be represented by one 
 person only. Such are, for instance, a festival, a 
 wpdding, a coronation, the imitation of a father, a 
 husband, a son, the indication of power, slavei^y, 
 revolt, &c., all of which cannot be clearly understood, 
 but by gestures of convention. The spectator soon 
 learns their meaning from theatrical habit, besides 
 they always bear some kind of analogy to ~ the things 
 they represent, which makes them sufficiently 
 intelligible; they are indeed a sort_ of symbolic signs. 
 Prom what we read of ancient pantomimes, it seems 
 evident that they had a great variety of gestures, both 
 of art and of convention, since we are told that they 
 could express past and future time, and even abstract 
 ideas. An ancient writer speaks of a trial of skill 
 between Eoscius and Cicero, in which these two 
 celebrated men were to 'express the same things by 
 different means — ^the orator by his speech, the player 
 by his gestures. It does not appear that Eoscius 
 gained the victory over his rival, neither is he to be 
 considered as vanquished, for he conceived so high 
 
THEOEY OF THEATEICAL DANCING. 69 
 
 an idea of his own art from this trial that he 
 immediately wrote a book on gesticulation, which he 
 therein placed on a level with eloquence itself. A 
 greater proof cannot be brought forward in favour of 
 the perfection of ancient pantomime. 
 
 Among the ancients the name of miines was 
 originally given to those dialogues which represented 
 their habits and 'morals. These dialogues were spoken 
 by men, and when necessary by women also. The 
 best compositions of the kind were those of Sophron, 
 who lived before Plato, those of Xenarchus, and those 
 of Publius Sirus, a Eoman. Laberius, Philistion, 
 Lentulus, and Marulus shone also in this class of 
 comedy which was very similar to the " Atellanes," 
 formerly represented at Averso. These authors were 
 termed mimographers from the Greek word mimos, an 
 imitation, and grapho, I write. The name mime was 
 afterwards given to those performers who imitated by 
 their gestures only what was spoken by the histriones, 
 or comedians and singers or declaimers, both in tragedy 
 and comedy. These performers in the sequel 
 degenerating into frivolity, bombast and indecency, 
 were merely regarded as buffoons and jugglers. The 
 men were treated with the utmost contempt, and the 
 women regarded only as concubines and prostitutes. 
 Some time afterwards, two celebrated actors in the 
 reign of Augustus, gave the art of mimicry a new 
 birth, and brought it to much perfection and 
 distinction. It was under their skilful hands that it 
 acquired a splendour and importance unknown even 
 in the brilliant ages of Greece. Their dexterity in 
 representing sentiment by gesture became at length 
 astounding. The Eomans gave the name of Panto- 
 
70 THEOEY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 mimes to those performers who expressed all kinds 
 of things by means of gestures. The arts of 
 Pantomime and dancing were afterwards called 
 Saltatio. The word Tripudivm was also used to 
 signify .dancing. .The Greeks termed both, when 
 united, Orchestica. 
 
 Lucian, in his celebrated dialogue upon dancing, 
 raised that art to much dignity, by presenting it in 
 its true light. He pointed out its utility ; the many 
 advantages derived from it ; presented all the charms 
 with which it abounds, and confirmed the judgment of 
 those who decreed it an equal rank with tragedy and 
 comedy. 
 
 Scipion Maffei very erroneously believed that Lucian 
 was merely railing, according to his usual way, when 
 he in his work gave a certain character of importance 
 to dancing and set a high value on the talent of the 
 performer. But his motive for writing on Pantomimic 
 representations cannot in any way be suspected ; his 
 ideas of it seem the same throughout : he nowhere 
 contradicts himself ; besides, he is not the only author 
 that speaks with enthusiasm on that ancient spec- 
 tacle. The illustrious Veronese, it is true, does not 
 appear to have bestowed much thought upon this 
 subject ; but itjis no less true that Dancing, Pantomime, 
 and Ballets were in his time very far from that degree 
 of perfection to which they have since been carried, 
 both in France and Italy. What we are told of the 
 ancients surprises us, but we have discovered many 
 things which might have astonished them. 
 
 Let us only require that which is reasonable and 
 natural to make a Pantomime truly interesting and 
 agreeable. Let us go no further ; if we exceed these 
 
THEORY OP THEATKICAIi DANCING. 71 
 
 limits of art and good sense, our efforts will un- 
 questionably be fruitless. 
 
 The outward motions of the body are effected by 
 the influence of the inward operations of the mind. 
 
 All gestures that indicate, in a clear and striking 
 manner, the objects to which they refer, never fail of 
 meeting with applause at a theatre. Beware, there- 
 fore, of making use of any that are trivial or ignoble ; 
 copy the best models, but improve, if possible, on 
 them in your imitation. 
 
 M. Goia, among other philosophers, observes : 
 " Sentiments, mutually communicated, have a refer- 
 ence either to present or distant objects; or they 
 relate to internal sensations. When the object is 
 present the eyes are turned to it,, while the staff or 
 finger points it out, the body either approaches or 
 shrinks from it ; thus forming a kind of dictionary of 
 this mute language. Signs made in this manner may 
 be termed iadicative. 
 
 " When the attention is directed to a distant object, 
 as for instance, when a savage would discover some 
 animal to kill it, or would describe another by which 
 he was attacked, he expresses its howling, roaring or 
 peculiar cry, by the effect of his own voice ; its form 
 and motions he describes by the gesticulation of his 
 hands, arms or head, and this species of signs may be 
 called imitative, 
 
 "When the same person would express his own 
 peculiar wants, fears, or any feeling which the eye 
 cannot perceive, he first exhibits those peculiar 
 attitudes which are produced by such feelings. B. 
 seeing the place where he had been affrighted, will 
 repeat the cries of fear, and the movements of terror. 
 
72 THEORY OF THBATBICAL DANCING. 
 
 in order that his companion A. may not expose 
 himself to the same danger which he had experienced. 
 A person deaf and dumb wishing to show that he was 
 trampled on by a horse, first describes the swift 
 motion of the horse's feet with his hands, and then 
 with his fingers he traces out on his body those parts 
 that have been injured, showing at the same time 
 how he fell. 
 
 "After exhibiting those external signs which accom- 
 pany the affections, the savage, like a deaf and dumb 
 person, seizes on the resemblance he finds between the 
 internal sensations of the mind and the external 
 qualities of bodies, employing the latter to express the 
 former. Thus violent anger is compared to the flame 
 or the tempest ; tranquillity of mind to a serene sky ; 
 doubt is expressed by the two hands that would 
 weigh two bodies ; and such signs as these are called 
 figurative or symbolic. These indicative, imitative and 
 fi^wrative gestures, then, provide a threefold means 
 of communication between ideas and feelings, enlisting 
 into their service all the aids afforded by the laws of 
 association. 
 
 " Tq classify the eleraentary materials of which this 
 language is composed, we must reduce -them to 
 three kinds, namely, gestures, sounds, and symbolic 
 writings. The first class includes the actions and 
 attitudes of the body employed to express the form or 
 motion of a visible object : the second contains those 
 sounds of a voice with which are described the 
 animals or the noise accompanying the motion of 
 inanimate bodies ; the third comprehends those 
 hieroglyphics which are frequently traced upon the 
 sand, the bark of trees, or any other surface to 
 
THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 73 
 
 indicate visible objects or the motions appertaining to 
 them." 
 
 The actor points out with his hands each part of 
 his body as also all objects at a distance from him, by 
 stretching his hands towards them. His eyes should 
 accompany each movement, and by adding to 
 the general expression serve to point out more clearly 
 the object to which he directs his thought. 
 
 Symbolic gesture and gestures of convention and of 
 art, are employed to signify everything that cannot be 
 exactly imitated or counterfeited by man, by simply 
 natural gestures alone. They show to the imagina- 
 tion of the spectator all that cannot be seen by him 
 on the stage. They, in general, bear as much analogy 
 as possible to the things they endeavour to describe. 
 This is their chief object. 
 
 Study to make yourself understood by imitating the 
 form of the objects you wish to represent ; and when 
 that is not possible, point out as clearly as you can 
 their use, &c., so that your beholders may understand 
 what you wish to express without ambiguity : let all 
 your expressions be precise and distinct. One of 
 Lucian's commentators has said that Pantomime is 
 capable, by gestures of convention, of expressing past 
 and future times, with every abstract action which 
 bears no relation to the passing moment : this is 
 precisely what was done by the ancient Pantomimes. 
 I am aware that many persons would be ignorant of 
 the meaning of these artificial gestures which are not 
 founded on passion or nature ; but in that case, to 
 raise a desire to learn their signification, the Ballet 
 master, and those who represent his compositions, 
 should exhibit pieces both easy and accurate, in order 
 
74 THEORY OP THEATEICAL DANCING. 
 
 that the public, appreciating their beauty, may apply 
 themselves to the gYammar, if we may so call it, of 
 this new language. 
 
 This is in some measure reasonable enough and 
 might be done with no great difficulty in Italy, where the 
 people are naturally inclined to Pantomime and where 
 the actors already make use of gestures of convention. 
 In France some length of time, and a course of deep 
 study, would be required to attain the same degree of 
 perfection. The French Pantomimists have adopted 
 only a small number of gestures, of which the greater 
 part are destitute of correct expression. Thus cir- 
 cumscribed in their means their art cannot accomplish 
 its due end, which is to represent to the eye a 
 picturesque imitation of all things. 
 
 In some theatres, where ballets have been intended 
 to please the intellect as much as the sight, this art 
 has made considerable progress, and the number of 
 gestures of art have much increased. The want of 
 them was felt, their advantages were discovered, and 
 success seems to have crowned the innovation. 
 
 It is natural to the Italian to gesticulate ; it is not 
 surprising therefore, if the actors of Italy are superior 
 to those of other countries, or if Pantomime is there 
 carried to so great a degree of perfection as to be 
 capable of expressing perfectly all the passions, with 
 every object sensible to the sight. They are, however, 
 most materially assisted by the gestures acquired by 
 art, which have greatly enlarged the sphere of their 
 performances. 
 
 Pantomime being incapable of producing any very 
 striking effect, except when employed in expressing 
 strong emotions, and objects easy of perception, the 
 
THBOEY OF THBATEICAL DANCING. 75 
 
 Italians have selected the most celebrated deeds of 
 both history and fiction, the more deeply to fix the 
 attention of the spectators : these magnificent pictures 
 are always represented in a vigorous manner and are 
 sometimes sublime. This system excites great 
 interest in the Ballet, and renders the Pantomime 
 department important, at the same time increasing 
 and varying the pleasure of the public. 
 
 The Italian, endowed by nature with deep sensibility 
 and a vivid imagination, is fond of powerful impressions, 
 and prefers the stately and pathetic style to the comic 
 or even the pleasing. He is willing to be amused by 
 theatrical representations, but he would rather be 
 affected ; and hence arises the interest taken by him 
 in the performance of Ballets. It may be observed 
 that the Ballet has been more essentially assisted 
 by the art of painting in Italy than in France ; nor 
 has the art itself lost anything by it, but on the 
 contrary gained infinitely. 
 
 In France, however, lately, several of my friends 
 have distinguished themselves for their Pantomime and 
 have attained the same perfection in expressing the 
 passions as I have witnessed in Italy. This need not 
 appear extraordinary, if it be considered that man is 
 everywhere nearly the same. The only defect in these 
 performers was a want of sufficient gesture to express 
 perfectly every circumstance ; but this was less their 
 fault than that of their art. Notwithstanding this, 
 their description of sentiment was true, their features 
 spoke, and their attitudes were gracefully conceived. 
 I noticed that the best of these pantomimic performers 
 were from provincial theatres ; they were more indus- 
 trious, and their stock of pieces was greater than at the 
 
76 THEORY OF' THEATBICAL DANCIKG. 
 
 capital. In Paris about a dozen pieces form their 
 round of representation; at Bordeaux, Marseilles, 
 Lyons, &c., every Ballet that, has succeeded is per- 
 formed: at Paris, on the contrary, those only are 
 performed that have been introduced by private 
 interest aiid favour. I remember at Bordeaux, on 
 one of my benefit nights, it occurred to me in order to 
 raise public curiosity, that my Ballet companions 
 should represent a comedy. The attempt appeared 
 very extraordinary and was deemed impossible of 
 execution. The performers, however, being all 
 endowed with some talent, .and very expert in 
 Pantomime, boldly undertook the performance, and 
 succeeded in giving a perfect representation of that 
 delightful Comedy called Folies Amoureuses. A severe 
 but just journalist, giving an account of this perform- 
 ance, thus expresses himself: " The piece was played 
 not only with [spirit, which might easily be expected 
 of dancers, but with truth also, a quality that becomes 
 every day more rare. Regnard was both felt and 
 expressed. The novices in speech did not stand in 
 need of that indulgence which had been prepared for 
 any failure in this hazardous enterprise." 
 
 This occurrence ought to prove satisfactorily that 
 in France there are dancers capable of performing 
 Pantomime perfectly; and if they do not introduce 
 more of it into their parts, the cause of it should be 
 attributed to the composers, who neglect too much 
 this department, or who have not sufficient talent to 
 put Pantomime upon an equality with dancing. 
 
 It is not consistent with the character of Ballets to 
 treat of abstract things, nor to entertain the public 
 with long details. This sort of representation ought 
 
THEOBY OF THEATEICAL DANCING. 77 
 
 only to exhibit such actions and images as create 
 interest and pleasure, without giving the spectator the 
 least occasion to guess at the intentions of the per- 
 former. A Pantomime must be simple, clear and 
 correct, if it be meant for a faithful interpretation of 
 our sensations. All that cannot be understood at the 
 moment of the action is mere imperfection, which it 
 is the Ballet master's duty to regard as useless. 
 
 Pantomime, like dancing, has its different kinds. 
 Gesture, look, carriage, in short, all ihe physical 
 expressions, are not exactly the same in every person : 
 they vary with the age, character, condition of the 
 actor^ who ought, therefore, to pay the strictest 
 attention to those kinds only of which he finds himself 
 more peculiarly capable. 
 
 Unless the actor possesses certain physical qualities 
 and a natural disposition to Pantomime, he cannot 
 expect to see his endeavours crowned with success. 
 It is an incontrovertible fact, that without the gifts of 
 nature, it is impossible for us to become perfect in any 
 one art or science whatsoever ; but at the same time, 
 though endued with every requisite, were we to 
 neglect the sage precepts of art, we should equally 
 fail of our end. Those lessons formed into laws and 
 established by ages of experience, are essential, nay, 
 almost indispensable, to the attainment of perfection. 
 The great Longinus says "that nature is mainly 
 instrumental in conducting us to the grand and 
 sublime ; but unless art takes her by the hand, she is 
 as one blindfolded, knowing not whither her steps are 
 leading her." ' 
 
 It was by such a direction of art that the chisels 
 which created the Apollo and the Venus surpassed the 
 
78 THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 hand of nature in the formation of beauty. Ars 
 naturam perficit. 
 
 What is said of sculpture, painting, and all the fine 
 arts, can be said with the sama truth of Pantomime. 
 A Pantominist requires considerable assistance frqm 
 art to be much valued : his imitation should be faithful, 
 but at the same time, finer than the original. This is 
 the end he must try to attain. Experience, good 
 taste, diligence and study, will conduct him towards 
 it. Art embellishes while she corrects- nature; the 
 former assists the latter and receives an ample reward 
 for her aid. 
 
 The first study of the Pantomimic actor ought to be 
 dancing: he must devote many years of steady 
 application to working at this art : then his move- 
 ments, his gestures, and his gait, will be more easy 
 and more graceful. Some notion of drawing will be 
 also very useful to him. Here let us observe, with 
 the celebrated Hogarth, in his analysis of Beauty : — 
 " That all those actions which we use in our ordinary 
 and daily occupation are performed almost in straight 
 lines, or in lines as nearly straight as possible ; but 
 all graceful movements, which display cultivated 
 manner are performed in undulating lines." This 
 judicious remark is worthy of the attention of all 
 classes of actors as by it they may learn to give 
 gracefulness to their actions and their gestures. The 
 study of oblique lines is also of much utility in vary- 
 ing their gestures and in making their attitudes and 
 motions appear more picturesque. By a knowledge of 
 drawing their performance will present many attrac- 
 tions of a most pleasing kind, and when united to a 
 knowledge of dancing afford them powerful means to 
 
THEOEY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 79 
 
 attain perfection. These two arts enable the actor to 
 be light, nimble and flexible ; all his movements will 
 be easy, graceful, and executed with taste; his 
 attitudes and gestures will be elegant and natural. 
 Music also is of equal service and will contribute in 
 no small degree to the attainment of excellence. By 
 the study of music he renders himself capable of 
 following more exactly the rhythm of his art, and 
 makes his performance harmonize better with the 
 measure and cadence of the tune. To these requisite 
 qualities let him add an expressive countenance 
 always in strict unison with the subject he represents, 
 and thus complete the theatrical illusion. 
 
 It is very advisable for an actor to study history 
 and poetry; from them he will reap much profit. 
 They enlighten his mind, enlarge his views, and give 
 him true notions of taste. They afford him the first 
 lessons towards a knowledge of the nature of the 
 human heart in its full extent, and of the real 
 character of those personages he will be frequently 
 called upon to represent. 
 
 We may see, from what has been said, that the 
 modern pantomimic actor does not require all those 
 qualifications which constituted the art of the ancient, 
 who was obliged to be at once perfect in pantomime, 
 dancing and composition. These arts have in our 
 days been carried to a degree of excellence which 
 neither the Greeks nor Eomans ever arrived at. 
 This pre-eminence may be ascribed to the better 
 judgment of the moderns, who have made an appro- 
 priate division of each department. 
 
 " The seven against Thebes," " Hercules," " Ajax," 
 "The Adultery of Mars and Venus," "Paris," and a 
 
80 THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 few other Ballets of the ancients are but weak and 
 imperfect sketches when compared with Telemaque, 
 Psyche, Promethee, Niobe, Les Amours de Venus, 
 Ulysse, Almaviva et Eosine, Cleopatre, Zephyre at 
 Flore, &c., all modern productions, in which taste, 
 genius and reason are happily combined to charm the 
 eyes and interest the heart. 
 
 With us it is only the young that devote themselves 
 to dancing and Pantomime, whilst those of more 
 advanced years, who possess both talents and experi- 
 ence, apply themselves to composition. 
 
 Lucian says that the stature of a Pantomimic actor 
 must be neither very tall nor extremely short: his 
 limbs neither too strong nor too slight. He wishes 
 his figure to be as nearly as possible of the proportions 
 of the stature of Polycletes. But as this masterpiece 
 of sculpture has not been transmitted to us, we must 
 take as a substitute that of Antinous. A performer 
 of that height and muscular constructure may under- 
 take a number of different characters, since his 
 physical powers are adapted to all branches of the 
 art. An easy remedy for trifling defects is found 
 in the manner of dressing and acting. Our Ballets 
 have the advantage of being performed by a great 
 number of persons. Each actor or dancer takes that 
 part which best suits his peculiar figure and talent. 
 It is the duty of the Ballet-master to look into these 
 particulars, and judiciously to distribute and appro- 
 priate the parts. The various characters of youth, 
 manhood, and old age, should be filled by different 
 actors, whose stature and feature, resemble in some 
 degree the idea we have of such personages. The 
 theatrical system of the present time is not the same 
 
THEOEV OF THEATEICAL DANCING. 61 
 
 as it was formerly. Now each actor and actress takes 
 one particular kind of character by which means om* 
 dramatic representations are more naturally and 
 therefore much more perfectly performed. 
 
 In France the parts and lines of actors have been 
 divided and sub-divided in the minutest manner, that 
 all may be m a sprt of exact accordance. The follow- 
 ing is a classification of some of the principal parts : 
 Jeunes premieres : jeunes premieres ingenuites ; 
 amaureux ; amoureux tnarques ; coquette de Marevaux ; 
 grandes coquettes ; -petits mattres ; marquis ; premiere 
 roles ; peres nobles ; meres nobles ; roles a Manteaux ; 
 duegnes f Spanish personages J financiers; soubrettes; 
 valets ; Figa/ros ; soubrettes de hon ton ; grandes 
 livrees; servantes et valet de Moliere; travestis; 
 Crispin ; Scapin ; caricatwes ; Cassand/re ; grimes ; 
 rois; reines; princesses; chevaliers; grands pretres; 
 conjidents; utilites, dc, de. 
 
 This example deserves to be followed in every 
 branch of theatrical art. But it frequently happens 
 that through motives of interest or ambition, an actor 
 is induced to aim at acquiring a talent as universal as 
 possible. This is well enough if he finds himself 
 really endowed with the necessary qualifications. 
 Indeed, I would then advise him to imitate everything, 
 to render himself a perfect master of mimicry of every 
 kind. It may be here remembered that the Greeks 
 called their, players hypocrites. Among the ancients 
 one and the same actor used generally to represent a 
 great number of personages (see Lucian, Cassiodorus 
 and others). Sometimes, also, two performers under- 
 took to play every part in a piece; but afterwards 
 their number having increased, there were as many 
 actors as parts ; though this was not always the case. 
 
8S TSfiOEV OF THEATEICAL DANCING. 
 
 A player ought to study the genius, character, 
 manner and customs of the various nations, the 
 natives of which he may have to represent. Let 
 nature be his constant model. In this respect he 
 shares the labours and honours of the composer. 
 The varied features of his countenance must exhibit 
 the different sensations of his soul, and his eyes, 
 particularly, must add to the expression of all those 
 feelings ■which his gesture is intended to convey. 
 The gesture of the mime being ever in accord with 
 his eye, should, as it were, speak : as Virgil says 
 " Signat cuncta manv, loquitur Polyhymnia gestu." 
 
 Everything must be well understood, everything 
 deeply felt, if we wish to represent it correctly. We 
 hear that Polus to enable himself to act with greater 
 truth the scene in which Electra, in the most 
 poignant anguish, brings the urn that encloses her 
 brother's ashes, took that which did really contain the 
 last remains of his own sons ; the sight of this, by 
 renewing his grief, could not fail to make him express, 
 with an energy and perfection that art can never 
 teach, that keen anguish under which his mind must 
 have laboured. Let nature therefore, be most atten- 
 tively studied, even down to her minutest operations. 
 
 It is the composer's duty to inform the actor of the 
 subject, argument, and meaning of the Ballet, and 
 especially to instruct him as to the nature of the part 
 which he has to fulfil. He ought to shew him the 
 proper gestures that will express his own ideas in the 
 Pantomime, and also guide him in all his movements, 
 that the time and cadence of the music may be 
 preserved with precision. 
 
 Every action in Pantomime must be regulated 
 
THEORY OF THEATEICAL DANCING. 83 
 
 according to the music, which ought also to partici- 
 pate in the expression of the passions. The effect 
 resulting from this harmonious union creates the 
 most pleasing emotions in the spectator. The Ballet- 
 master should set the gestures, attitudes, and steps, 
 exactly to the rhythm of the tunes, and so manage 
 that each sentiment expressed may be responsive to 
 the measure. Let the mimic and dancer however, 
 beware not to force this action in order to prove that 
 they really are in accord with the music : all must 
 be blended together, and the art concealed, as much as 
 possible. The accompaniment must possess the true 
 tone and colouring of the pantomimic action. 
 
 The Ballet-master must avoid in his compositions 
 all that is exaggerated, dull, vulgar or trivial, particu- 
 larly in subjects of a serious nature. 
 
 The expressions of violent passion, or of those which 
 arise from any extraordinary situation, are not the 
 most difl&cult task of an actor. ^ " The great difficulty 
 in the art," Marmontel observes, " is a simultaneous 
 expression of two sentiments agitating the soul, when 
 the mind wavers from one to the other ; or in the grada- 
 tions and shades either of one passion or of two 
 contrary ones, in their delusive momentary calm, in 
 their rapid fury, their impetuous transports, in short, 
 in all the varied accidents that form together a picture 
 of the storms which convulse the human heart." 
 
 What skill is here required to offer a faithful repre- 
 sentation of such emotions on the stage. It is indeed 
 the ne plus ultra of the comedian's art. To this 
 desirable point of perfection, it is, that such celebrated 
 actors have arrived as Garrick, Le Kain, Talma, 
 Kemble, Kean, Young, Demarin, Ekhoff, Iffland, 
 
84 THEORY OP THEATBICAL DANCING. 
 
 Mayquez, Siddons, Oldfield, O'Neil, Clairon, Dumenil, 
 Pellandi, Marchiomii, Duchesnoy, and some few 
 others. 
 
 It is by such dumb actions, and those energetic 
 expressions, that we disc6ver a really good actor. 
 One of a middling talent may declaim a speech 
 tolerably well ; but it is the sublime artist alone that 
 can paint in the rapid look, all the natural violence 
 of a strong passion. In this respect it is that the 
 Pantomimist always surpasses a comedian or tragedian. 
 
 The gestures and countenance of the actor must 
 express to the spectator all that passes in the soul, and 
 minutely point out every variation in its emotions. 
 The heart should feel all that is exhibited by the 
 features and gestures, which cannot act perfectly 
 without its consent. 
 
 That accord which exists between our moral and 
 physical faculties must be strictly observed. In real 
 life the most studied dissimulation can never entirely 
 hide the feelings that agitate us. Nor are those 
 feelings in real life ever so strongly expressed as to 
 be glaringly conspicuous. So with the actor, it is very 
 easy for the performer to completely dissimulate 
 the character he represents. But to be natural his 
 action must be more calm, he must try to throw a 
 veil over all his expressions and gestures sufficiently 
 transparent for the spectator to perceive the shades 
 of that secret passion which he endeavours as much , 
 as possible to conceal. 
 
 The performance of the actor sometimes depends 
 on those who act with him ; if they are not animated 
 he necessarily becomes cold. But the principal per- 
 former should rather take possession as it v/ere of the 
 
THEORY OP THEATRICAL DANCING. 85 
 
 stage, and give a tone to the rest, whose acting should 
 be responsive to his and form a part of it. It is this 
 harmony between the characters of the Pantomime, 
 which contributes most essentially to its general 
 theatrical effect. 
 
 It may here be observed, that an actor performing 
 in a small theatre may restrain his gestures and 
 moderate his exertions : but if, on the contrary, the 
 theatre is of extensive dimensions, his pantomimic 
 action must be increased in vigour also and more 
 strongly marked. 
 
 On the origin of those masked characters who perform 
 in Italian Comedies. 
 
 The following short discourse upon masked 
 characters is taken from tietro Verri. Supposing it 
 to be a subject not devoid of interest to theatre-goers, 
 treating as it does of the origin of mimics, whom we 
 have already so often mentioned, we have thought our- 
 selves sufficiently authorized in introducing it here. 
 
 The custom of performing in masks may be traced 
 to the most remote antiquity. During the brightest 
 ages of Greece no actor appeared on the stage without 
 this peculiar appendage. In ancient comedy, masks 
 were of such universal use that they were adapted to 
 every species of character : there was the miser's mask, 
 the parasite's mask, the mask for the good servant 
 and the mask for the knavish one. An actor there- 
 fore had only to make his appearance thus masked, 
 when the nature of his character was immediately 
 recognized, even before a word was spoken: this is 
 
Ob THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 precisely the case with respect to the mask of the 
 modern Harlequin, which is always the same ; while 
 those of the Brigella or Clown, the Dottore or 
 Doctor, and the Pantaloon, present so truly their 
 dispositions that it is impossible to be mistaken in 
 the foolishness and stupidity of the Clown, or in the 
 tricks and roguishness of the Harlequin. 
 
 We can therefore establish it as a positive fact that 
 the custom of wearing masks, which never varied 
 when once adapted to these peculiar characters, is 
 derived from the ancient Greek and Eoman theatres. 
 Amongst the ancient Eomans the profession of an 
 actor was divided into two branches, the Mime and 
 the Comedian. The Mime had his face blackened ; 
 he appeared upon the stage fuligine faciem obductus ; 
 at that time the custom of performing in the high ' 
 dramatic buskin, had not been introduced among the 
 Mimes, the bottom of their feet being bare, and on 
 that account, indeed, they obtained the name of 
 Mimes, according to Diomedes : " Planipea Grceci 
 dlcatur Mimus, adeo awtem latine planipea quod 
 adores plania pedibus proscenium introirent. We 
 may hence gather how strong a resemblance exists 
 between the modern Harlequin and Clown and the 
 Mimic of antiquity, particularly in those unvarying 
 characteristics, the blackened visage and the buskins. 
 Their general attire, also, bore a great similarity to 
 that of modern times; their Mimes were dressed 
 precisely like our Harlequins: see that passage of 
 Apvileius in which he says : " JVum ex eo argumentare 
 uti me consuevisse tragedi aysmate, Hiatrionia cooosta, 
 m.imi centunclo." Where observe, that to mimics 
 was assigned the Centunclus, which means a dress of 
 
THEORY OF THEATBICAL DANCING. 87 
 
 patches of a hundred colours, that is to say, a Harle- 
 iciuin's suit. And further, it may be remarked, that 
 Vossius, in his Institutes, informs us that Sanniones 
 Mimum agebant rasis capitibus ; ia which words two 
 things are worthy of note ; first, that Sanniones and 
 Mimes were both in the same line of profession ; 
 and secondly, that Harlequin and Clown are now 
 called Zanni, which word is doubtless no other than 
 a corruption of the original term Sannio. Thus then 
 a mimic with his head shaved, his face blackened, 
 and a suit of parti-coloured patches, barefooted or 
 nearly so, and bearing the name of Sannio, according 
 to ancient historians, must have been the worthy 
 ancestor of our magic Harlequin. 
 
 Perhaps some may doubt whether the severe Cato 
 and the grave Cicero had witnessed the performance 
 of a Eoman Harlequinade, but the doubt will soon be 
 removed upon reading the following passage extracted 
 from his book De Oratore, in which it may be seen he 
 describes a Harlequin exactly, "Quid enim potest tarn 
 ridiculum, quern Sannio esse qui ore, vultu, imitandis 
 motibus, voce, denique corpore ridetur ipso." From 
 this it must be concluded that the Zanni or Zaneys of 
 modern comedy are derived from the most ancient 
 theatricals, even those of republican Eome, and that 
 they have been thus handed down to us. 
 
 It is not at all improbable that good comedy and 
 good tragedy might have been buried and forgotten 
 amid the barbarism that succeeded the fall of Eome, 
 and with which all Italy was overwhelmed, had not the 
 pleasure which unpolished ignorance took in a 
 clowning as gross as that of the Sanniones, pre- , 
 served them from oblivion during the time that 
 
88 THBOEY OF THEATKICAL DANCING. 
 
 nobler amusement was despised and forgotten. 
 It appears in short, that when the Italian Drama was 
 destroyed, those mimic farces continued to be performed, 
 though it were only in open squares or any corners 
 where such shows could occasionally be represented. 
 Proofs of this may be found as far back as the twelfth 
 century, beyond which p'eriod the traces of the existence 
 of the Dottore are not observable. Then it was that 
 Irenerius opened at Bologna a school of jurisprudence, 
 from which such institutions took their rise through- 
 out the greater part of Europe, and so continue to the 
 present time. And it appears that the origin of the 
 mask called Dottore may be fixed at that period, when 
 the two celebrated Doctors, Bulgaro and Martino, 
 disputed upon the question whether the whole world 
 belonged to the reigning emperor as sole proprietor or 
 whether he was only a kind of tenant. Certainly it 
 required some such appearance as this grotesque mask 
 with black nose and scarlet cheek, ia order exactly to 
 represent the man who could gravely inquire whether 
 the world belonged to one man, or whether he was 
 only a mere tenant. Some learned persons indeed 
 contend that the original model of this mask was the 
 only good ever bestowed upon posterity by the school 
 of Irenerius. 
 
 With respect to the Pantaloon, it seems that it was 
 at the end of the fourteenth, or at the beginning of 
 the fifteenth century, that this mask was introduced 
 at the Theatres ; at a period when the commerce of 
 the Venetians caused the sum of 695,000 seguins to 
 circulate annually through the State of Milan, the 
 product of woollen manufactures, which were sent to 
 Venice and again sold in the Levant. This may be 
 
THEORY OF THBATBICAL DANCING. 81> 
 
 proved by reading a controversy by the Doge 
 Thommaso Moeenigo as related by the historian 
 Sannudo. 
 
 Those who would have a more detailed account of 
 the early history of Pantomime, may read Nieuport's 
 Rittmut qui apud Romanes ohtinuerunt ; Dubos' 
 Reflexions stir la Pohie Vol. 3, and Eiccoboni's 
 Treatise. 
 
90 THBOBT OF THBATEICAL DANCING. 
 
 EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 
 
 Plate I. 
 
 Figure 1. First position, arms in the second. 
 
 2. Position of the -wrist and fingers. 
 
 3. Opposition, ^paulement du corps ; half arm ia 
 
 opposition, and legs in third position. 
 
 4. Arms extended in opposition ; legs in the 
 
 fifth position. 
 
 5. Arms encircling over the head, and legs in 
 
 the fifth position on the toes. 
 
 Plate II. 
 
 Figure 1. Position of the body, demi-bras, and legs ia 
 the fourth position (side view). 
 
 2. Second position, feet flat on the ground, 
 
 and position of the demi-bras. 
 
 3. Second position on the toes. 
 
 4. Bending in the second position. 
 
 5. Manner in which a dancer should hold 
 
 herself when practising. 
 
 Plate III. 
 
 Figures 1, 2, 3. Defective positions of the arms. 
 
 4. Physical defects in the construction of the 
 
 bow-legged dancer. 
 
 5. Physical defects in the construction of the 
 
 close-legged dancer. 
 
theory of theatrical dancing. 91 
 
 Plate IV. 
 
 Figure 1. Fourth position forwards in the air. Arms 
 in the second position : (side view.) 
 
 2. Same position on the toes: arms in 
 
 opposition (front view). 
 
 3. Fourth position, leg in the air hehind, (side 
 
 view.) 
 4 Poses, preparation, and termination of iemps 
 and steps. 
 
 Plate V. 
 
 Figures 1, 2, 3, 4. Poses, preparation and termination 
 of temps and steps. 
 5. Pose of the hand and arms in certain 
 positions. 
 
 Plate VI. 
 
 Figure 1. Second position in the air and on the toes. 
 2, 3, 4. Different attitudes derived from the 
 second and fourth positions. 
 
 Plate VII. 
 
 Figures 1 & 2. Different attitudes derived from the 
 fourth position. 
 
 3. Position of the dancer in beginning a 
 
 Pirouette from the outside. 
 
 4. Position of the dancer in beginning a 
 
 Pirouette from the inside. Arabesque 
 on the two feet. 
 
 Plate VIII. 
 
 Figure 1. Attitude. 
 
 2. Attitude seen sideways. 
 3 & 4. Different ways of placing oneself in 
 attitude. 
 
92 THEORY OF THEATRICAL DANCING. 
 
 Plate IX. 
 
 jPigure 1. The Mercury of J. Bologna. 
 
 2 & 3. Derivatives from that attitude. 
 4. Position of a Pirouette on the instep. 
 
 Plate X. 
 Pigures 1, 2, 3, 4. Arahesques. 
 
 Plate XI. 
 
 Pigures 1 & 2. Arabesques. 
 
 3 & 4. Arabesques behind. 
 
 Plate XII. 
 
 Figures 1, 2, & 3. Arabesques. 
 
 4. Position of the dancer in movements of 
 
 elevation and in entrechats. 
 
 5. Elevation of two feet in height. 
 
 Plate XIII. 
 
 Pigures 1, 2, 3, & 4. Attitudes of a dancer in steps of 
 elevation and entrechats. 
 
 Plate XIV. 
 
 Pigures 1, 2, 3. Poses of dancers of either sex for 
 the three different kinds of dancing. 
 
 1. Serious or heroic dancer. 
 
 2. Demi-charactere. 
 
 3. Comic dancers. 
 
 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5. Attitudes de genre; groups, modifica- 
 tions, ipaulement of attitudes in groups, 
 costumes the most suitable to dancers. 
 
 1. Greek Tunic. 
 
 2. Spanish Troubadour, 
 
 3. Villagers. 
 
 Principal group of a Baccahanalia, composed 
 by the auihor. 
 
The reader will notice that a few of 
 these figures are obviously exaggerated 
 in order to give emphasis to the posi- 
 tion or attitude to be aimed at by the 
 Dancer. 
 
 S. B. H. 
 
Plate t. 
 
Plate It. 
 
Plate in. 
 
 r\ 
 
Plate IV. 
 
Plate V. 
 
 ' -^?< 
 
Plate VL 
 
 2 
 
Hate VII. 
 
Plate VUL 
 
Plate IX, 
 
Plate X. 
 
Plate XL 
 

 Plaie XIL 
 
Plate XIIL 
 
Plate XIV. 
 
Plate XIV. (2) 
 
 
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