The Colonial Music Institute^(tm)
Bringing History to Life Through Music

“This is a superb book. . . wonderfully clear instructions . . . don’t plan to do anything on the day you get this book. It’s riveting!”  —David Fleming-Williams

This book includes a complete facsimile of Willsim’s 1755 book titled Recueil de 24 Contredances Anglois les Plus Usité ("Collection of 24 of the most common English Country Dances"). The original was published in Amsterdam and dedicated to the daughter of the Prince of Orange-Nassau who was a granddaughter of George II of England. The collection mirrors the spread of the immensely popular English country dance into European courts and countryside. It includes dances of English origin and dances created in the Netherlands and in Paris in the English dance form. It is unique in having clear diagrams of every figure as well as verbal instructions in French. (See page illustration below.)
        This book is an extremely important resource for the understanding of how 18th-century country dances were actually performed. This edition includes modern interpretations on pages facing the originals, with glossaries of figures, footing and travelling steps, and dance formations. Historical notes, instructions on foot positions, honors for men and women, a guide for playing the music for dancing, and translations of the French dance instructions are also given.

CONTENTS:
        La Princess Caroline
        La Danse Galante
        La Bouquette
        Princess Amillia
        La Verdure
        Je Vous Prends Sans Verd
        Lady’s Favourite
        Bonny Lass of Our Town or Merry Dancers
        La Baronie de Breda
        La Baroque
        Bleck Jock
        Rich
        Le Grand Dejeuner
        Le Tourbillion
        Mol Ross
        Always Drunk and Never Sober
        L’Ordre de la Jartiére
        Je Suis Constant
        Mile End Assembly
        Jaque Latin
        La Maison du Bois
        Les Astres de Venus
        Auretti’s Dutch Skipper
        Montmorancy.