Author Blasis, Carlo
Title The Code of Terpsichore
Publishing Location London
Year 1828
Publisher James Bulcock
Edition
Number of Pages VII-548
Publishing Country GBR
Publishing Language ENG
Notes

COMPLETE TITLE: The Code of Terpsichore: a Practical and Historical Treatise on the Ballet, Dancing, and Pantomime; with a Complete Theory of the Art of Dancing; Intended as well for the Instructions of Amateurs as the Use of Professional Persons. By C. Blasis. Translated under the Author's Immediate Inspection by R. Burton.

The text translated by R. Burton under Blasis's supervision consisted of 548 pages, plus the translation of the Traité Elémentaire, Théorique et Pratique de l'Art de la Danse (see) (the slightly revised text of 1820 is entlitled Theory of Theatrical Dancing) and the 14 plates of the Milan edition, redrawn and integrated with two new illustrations of society dances; it also contained 22 pages of musical scores written by Carlo's two sisters, Virginia and Teresa, bringing the total number of pages up to 588.
The text contained an historical survey of the evolution of dance in various periods and cultures (Rise and Progress of Dancing), discussed the content and style of the pantomime (On Pantomime, and the Studies necessary for a pantomimic performer), the composition principles of ballet (The composition of Ballets), Blasis's librettos for choreographies (Programmes, containing examples of every species of ballets), rules of society dancing (Private dancing) and, in the second part, the Theory of Theatrical Dancing, which was basically an adapted version of Blasis's Traité élémentaire published in Milan eight years before.

LATER EDITIONS:
The Code of Terpsichore. The Art of Dancing: Comprising its Theory and Practice, and A History of its Rise and Progress, from the Earliest Times: Intended as well for the Instructions of Amateurs as the Use of Professional Persons. By C. Blasis, Principal Dancer at the King's Theatre, and Composer of Ballets. Translated under the Author's Immediate Inspection, by R. Burton, London, Edward Bull, 1830.
Online text: GOOGLE BOOKS - INTERNET ARCHIVE

Second edition: The Art of Dancing. Comprising its Theory and Practice, and A History of its Rise and Progress, from the Earliest Times. Intended as well for the Instructions of Amateurs as the Use of Professional Persons. By C. Blasis, Principal Dancer at the King's Theatre, and Composer of Ballets. Translated, under the Author's Immediate Inspection, by R. Burton, London, Printed for Edward Bull, 1831.
Online text: THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS  

RECENT EDITIONS:
Reprint of the edition of 1828:
- Brooklyn, New York, Dance Horizons, 1976. (Facsimile)
- Alton, Dance Books, 2008. (Facsimile)

Reprint of the edition of 1831: New York, Dance Horizons, 1976. (Facsimile)

CIRCULATION AND TRANSLATIONS:
In 1830 two transpositions into French were published:
- Manuel complet de la danse, comprenant la théorie, la pratique et l'histoire de cet art depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'a nos jours; à l'usage des amateur et des professeurs; par M. Blasis Premier Danseur du théâtre du roi d'Angleterre, et Compositeur de ballets; Trad. de l'anglais de M. Barton, sur l'édit. de 1830, par M. Paul Vergnaud, Paris, A la Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, 1830 (see).
Online text: GOOGLE BOOKS - GALLICA
- Code complet de la danse, par M. Blasis, premier danseur au Théâtre de Covent-Garden, à Londres, suivi de nouveaux Airs de danse, par M. Blasis père, et Mlle Blasis, Prima Donna du Théâtre des Italiens, à Paris, Paris, Audin, 1830 (see).

Two new editions by Roret, extensively revised, were published in 1866 and 1844 with the title Nouveau Manuel Complet de la Danse (see).

An English edition was published in 1888: 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, Frederick Verinder, 1888. It contained however only some extracts from the original English text.


 

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