Drawing Room Dances 1847

An English translation of La danse des salons

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E. CHURTON, 26, HOLLES-STREET.
1847

TO
MADAME LE COMTE,
(OF 25, BERNERS STREET,)
This little Work is
RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY
HER OBLIGED SERVANT,
THE PUBLISHER.

26, Holles Street,
January, 1847

J. BILLING,
PRINTER AND STEREOTYPER,
WOKING SURREY.

CONTENTS.

PREFACE 1

I. Revival of Fashionable Dancing 5

II. Stage Dances, and Dances of the Ballroom 7

III. Preliminary Exercises. — The Salute 12

IV. The French Quadrille 16

V. The Polka 20

VI. Steps of the Polka 22

VII. The Waltz à Trois Temps 26

VIII. The Waltz à Deux Temps 32

IX. Advice to the Waltzers à Deux Temps 36

X. Sequel to the Advice to Waltzers à Deux Temps 41

XI. The Waltz a Cinque Temps 48

XII. The Mazurka 51

XIII. Observations on the Mazurka 59

XIV. The Quadrille-Mazurka 66

Description of the Figures of the Quadrille-Mazurka 69

XV. The Waltze-Mazurka, called the Cellarius 73

XVI. The Redowa 75

XVII. The Cotillon 81

XVIII. Figures of the Cotillon 85
1. The Excursion—La Course. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 85
2. The Rounds of three — Les Ronds à trois. (Waltze, polka, mazurka.) ib.
3. The Chairs—Les Chaires. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 86
4. The Flowers—Les Fleurs (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 87
5. La Course Assise. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) ib.
6. The Columns—Les Colonnes. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 88
7. The Cushion—Le Coussin. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
8. The Cards— Les Cartes. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 89
9. The Pyramid—La Piramide. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
10. The Deceiver—La Trampeuse. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 90
11. The Serpent—La Serpent. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 91
12. The Broken Round—La Rond Brisé. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
13. The Handkerchief—Le Mouchoir. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 92
14. The Change of Ladies—Le Changement des Dames. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 92
15. The Hat—Le Chapeau. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
16. The Shawl—L'Echarpe. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 93
17. The Ladies Seated—Les Dames Assises. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
18. The Glass of Champagne—Le Verre de Vin de Champagne. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 94
19. The Rejected Couples—Les Couples Refusés. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
20. The Nosegays—Les Bouquets. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 95
21. The Presentation of Ladies—Les Dames Presentés. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
22. The Moving Cushion—Le Coussin Mobile. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 96
23. The Ladies Mocked—Les Dames Trompées. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
24. The Magic Hat—Le Chapeau Magique. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 97
25. The Phalanx—La Phalange. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
26. The Mysterious Cloth—Le Drap Mysterieux. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 98
27. The Gentlemen Mocked—Le Cavalier Trompè. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). ib.
28. The Double Cross—Le Croix Double. (Waltze, polka, mazurka). 99
29. The Grand Round—Le Grand Rond. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) ib.
30. The Twin Circles—Les Cercles Jumeau. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) 100
31. The Deceitful Round—La Rond Trompeuse. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) ib.
32. The Convent-Porter—Le Portier du Convent. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) 101
33. The Mysterious Hands—Les Mains Mysterieux. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) ib.
34. The Handkerchief Chase—La Chasse aux Mouchoirs. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) 102
35. The Stormy Sea—La Mer Agitée. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) ib.
36. Puss in the Corner—Les Quatre Coins. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) 103
37. The Bower—Les Berceau. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) 105
38. The Pursuit—La Poursuite. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) ib.
39. The Final Round—La Rond Final. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) 105
40. The Endless Rounds—Les Ronds Infinis. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) ib.
41. Le Moulinet. (Waltze, polka) 106
42. Le Moulinet Changeant. (Waltze, polka) 107
43. The Four Chairs—Les Quatres Chaires. (Waltze, polka) ib.
44. The Country Dance—La Contredanse. (Waltze, polka) 108
45. The Handkerchief—Le Mouchoir. (Waltze, polka) 108
46. The Flying Shawls—Les Echarpes Volantes. (Waltze, polka) ib.
47. The Fan—L'Evantail. (Waltze, polka) 109
48. Blindman's buff—La Colin Maillard. (Waltze, polka) ib.
49. The Gentlemen Together—Les Cavaliers ensemble. (Waltze, polka) 110
50. The Zigzags—Les Zigzags. (Waltze, polka) ib.
51. The Undulations—Les Undulations. (Waltze, polka). 111
52. The Two Lines—Les Deux Lignes. (Waltze, polka) ib.
53. The Crooked Lane—L'Allee Tournante. (Waltze, polka) 112
54. The Flying Hat—Le Chapeau Volant (Waltze, polka). 113
55. The Figure of Eight—La Huit. (Waltze) ib.
56. The Intermingling of Arms—Les Bras Enlacés. (Polka, mazurka) 114
57. The Ladies' Moulinet—Le Moulinet des Dames. (Polka, mazurka) ib.
58. The Little Rounds—Les Petits Ronds. (Polka, mazurka) 115
59. The Double Moulinet—La Double Moulinet. (Polka, mazurka) 116
60. The X of the Gentlemen—L'X Des Cavaliers. (Polka, mazurka) 117
61. The X of the Gentleman and his Lady—L'X de Cavaliers et de la Dame. (Polka, mazurka) 118
62. The English Right and Left—La Grande Chaine Anglaise. (Polka, mazurka) 119
63. The Graces—Les Graces. (Polka, mazurka) ib.
64. The Contrary Rounds—Les Ronds Contrarieés (Polka, mazurka) 120
65. The Genuflexions—Les Genuflexions. (Polka, mazurka.) 121
66. The Right and Left—Les Chaines à Quatre. (Polka, mazurka) ib.
67. The Crossed Chains—Les Chaines Croiseés (Polka, mazurka) 122
68. The Double Pastourelle—La Double Pastourelle. (Polka, mazurka) ib.
69. The Double Chain—La Double Chaine. (Polka, mazurka) 123
70. The Uninterrupted Chains—Les Chaines Continues. (Polka, mazurka) ib.
71. The Inconstants—Les Cavaliers Changeants. (Polka, mazurka) 124
72. The Ladies Back to Back—Les Dames Dos à Dos. (Polka, mazurka) 125
73. Four Hands Round—Les Ronds à Quatre. (Polka, mazurka) ib.
74. The Genuflexion of Four—La Genuflexion à Quatre. (Polka, mazurka) 126
75. The Change of the Moulinet—La Moulinet Changé. (Polka, mazurka) 127
76. The Changing Triangle—La Triangle Changeant. (Polka, mazurka) 128
77. The Chains in Line—Les Chaines en Ligne. (Polka, mazurka) ib.
78. The Labyrinth—La Labyrinth. (Waltze, polka, mazurka) 129
79. The Polka in Right and Left varied—La Polka en Chains Diverses. (Polka) 130
80. The Basket—La Corbeille. (Mazurka). ib.
81. The Triple Pass—La Triple Passe. (Mazurka) 131
82. The Lady to the left—La Dame à Gauche. (Mazurka) 132
83. The Reunion of Couples. (Mazurka) ib.

Conclusion of the Cotillon 133

XIX. Last observations on the Ball-Room Orchestra, etc. 135

Conclusion 139

APPENDIX

English Quadrille. 141
First Figure—Le Pantalon ib.
Second Figure—L'Été 142
Third Figure—La Poule ib.
Fourth Figure—Trenise, or La Pastourelle 142
Fifth Figure—L'Inconstant 143

Lancers.
First Figure 144
Second Figure ib.
Third Figure 145
Fourth Figure ib.
Fifth Figure ib.

Caledonians.
First Figure 146
Second Figure ib.
Third Figure 147
Fourth Figure ib.
Fifth Figure 148

Spanish Dance ib.

PREFACE.

THE work which I now offer to the public under the title of "Drawing-room Dances," contains a faithful and complete collection of my Dancing Courses.

My pupils had for a long time pressed me to unite in one volume those precepts of the dance and waltze, which I had the happiness of instilling into them. Such a volume, they said, would profit all—the novice, who would be instructed by the perusal, and the proficient, who would find a pleasure in recollection. These wishes, being constantly repeated, became to me at last an indispensable duty. I imagined, moreover, that a work which would be as a manual of the modern dancer and waltzer, must have some utility for the teaching and practice of the art in general.

The new dances, such as the polka, mazurka, valse a deux temps, &c. which have become popular during the last few years, met at first, like most other novelties, with considerable opposition. Many persons, even at present, judging of them when exaggerated instead of when truly executed, still speak of them with prejudice. It is time, therefore, as I think, to explain what these dances really are, to fix their rules, to define their character, and to prove that the drawing-roo may admit them without in any way derogating from their traditional elegance and good taste.

In this volume, I have treated of every sort of dance, which obtains at present in the world, from the French country-dance to the newest waltzes, even to those which can scarcely as yet be said to be adopted. Some quadrilles also and waltzes, arranged, or invented by myself, have of necessity found a place in this collection. The flattering approbation of many persons of fashion has imposed this upon me.

The cotillon, that essential finale of every ball, has been the object of my peculiar care, and I have been able to bring together more than eighty figures, each different from the other. This ensemble will offer, I should think, a field sufficiently extensive for the dancers, and henceforth the gentlemen-conductors will not be under the necessity of stopping short in the middle of their functions.

Is it necessary to add that this work,—which is dedicated to waltzers much more than to readers, and made rather to lie on the piano than in the book-case,—cannot have the least literary pretensions? Need I crave indulgence for pages written in very brief intervals of rest, or more frequently amidst the noise of polkas and waltzes? Still I must confess that I have not composed them without a lively sense of gratification. Employed from infancy in the practice of an art, to which I have always been passionately devoted, I have found in the imparting of it a pleasure no less real.

The hours past in my lessons and courses, are above all things to me an agreeable pastime. The essays of my pupils; my continual observations on their progress; their practice, in which I never fail to take a part, persuaded that it is above all in dancing that the professor should teach by example; and the success of many who delight in reminding me that they have been formed under my eyes—these are things, which are more than enough to recompense me for the trouble and fatigue of teaching.

To conclude, in writing the Drawing-room Dances, I have again found myself in the midst of my pupils, I have beheld them waltze, I have waltzed myself, and that is enough to show the nature of my ambition.

May this book help to spread the taste for dancing; may it augment, if that be possible, the number of good and skillful waltzers, and I shall for once have taken up the pen by chance, without seeming to quit the sphere wherein the favour of the public has thought proper to assign me a rank so precious.

CELLARIUS.

See images of the original pages starting at

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