How to write Feuillet Notation?

by Caetlin :)
(Nebraska, USA)

Good morning!


I hope your day is going incredibly!

I am coming to you for some much-needed help! My dance teacher has recently assigned us a project. We are supposed to come up with one position, and notate that. I absolutely love the Feuillet style of notation, and I was wondering if you had any information on that! I am having some difficulty understanding it. Or perhaps even you yourself know Feuillet notation? Or somewhere I could perhaps send my position to be written out? The movement I have thought of is relatively simple, but it means a lot to me. It is this: left leg bent at the knee in parallel position, right leg extended toward the audience in a high développé, toe pointed, arms in high fifth but slightly more open than true high fifth.

Is there any way you could help me? I can send you a picture of the position if you want! Or I would love to email with you! If you have time that is, I know I am merely one in a thousand! Thank you a million ways!

Comments for How to write Feuillet Notation?

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Jun 18, 2013
Maria's reply
by: Maria

Dear Caetlin,

I guess you know that the Feuillet notation system was invented and used some centuries ago for notating the French baroque dance. It is a system that is nowadays used for the reconstruction of those dances only, but no more scores are being written by the means of it.

The Feuillet notation is actually limited for notating dance as it is made up of signs that describe codified steps. Therefore, it is only useful to record the French baroque dance and in an extremely simplified way; arms are not notated at all, for example.

The score is made up of successive pages that represent the paths on the floor drawn while dancing. Those paths are complemented with little signs that described the type of step (with legs and feet) that is executed while moving around.

Here’s an example of how one page of a Feuillet score would look like:

Menuet d’Alcide recorded in Feuillet Notation

The example above makes part of a score of a dance called Le Menuet d’Alcide. The whole score contains twelve pages, which look similar, but that represent the different successive paths in space.

If you want to learn more about the Feuillet notation, you can try contacting Mr. Jean Marc Piquemal, through the CNSMDP (National Conservatoire of Paris) or through the directory of dance writers of the CND. Jean Marc Piquemal is one of the few people in the world who can read the Feuillet Notation and may want to give you a hand.

To write down the position you described in your question, it would be much easier to use Labanotation. Here are some related links to search for it:

Dance notation and how to write it

Labanotation

Warm regards,

Maria

May 08, 2019
Feuillet Notation
by: AnonymousThe New York Baroque Dance Company

I realize this is an old post. But why not contact us? Our website is www.nybaroquedance.org

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