The Godolphin

About this book

This ballroom dance for one couple, preserved in Feuillet notation, was choreographed by English dancing master Mr. Isaac (c. 1640-c. 1720) to music composed by James Paisible (d. 1721). The five couplet dance is in duple meter and is dedicated to the Lady Harriot Godolphin, considered to be a "particular good dancer" by E. Pemberton, the notator of the dance. The dance notation system, first published by dancing master Raoul-Auger Feuillet (1659 or 1660-1710), is based on tract drawings that trace the pattern of the dance. Additionally, bar lines in the dance score correspond to bar lines in the music score. Signs written on the right- or left-hand side of the tract indicate the steps.