DANCING ON PAPER: A DANCE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Kellom Tomlinson’s The Art of Dancing Explained by Reading and Figures: Whereby the Manner of Performing the Steps is Made Easy by a New and Familiar Method (1735), is, at its core, an instruction manual. Part of a broader dance notation collection that utilizes both written descriptions and visual diagrams to convey movement, this book was published in London and dedicated to Catherine, Viscountess Fauconberg. At one point the book was in the possession of the Royal Academy of Dancing, which has since been renamed as Royal Academy of Dance. As a dancer myself, I found this now unique method of conveying information about dance steps particularly intriguing. While some may perceive these diagrams as mere “chicken scratch,” they serve an essential purpose in effectively communicating the intended steps – the bourré, and the coupé for example – and demonstrating the diverse and innovative methods employed in teaching and learning the art of dance. 

by Abigail Littlefield, Mathematics, Class of 2026

Kellom Tomlinson
The Art of Dancing Explained by Reading and Figures: Whereby the Manner of Performing the Steps is Made Easy by a New and Familiar Method
London: 1735
Eberly Family Special Collections Library 

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