Les Bons Enfans

Hurst goes into a fair amount of detail about how to dance a cotillion, but he does not always say quite as much as I need to know, so I have taken the liberty of using several other early texts to fill in the gaps.

Couples are arranged in a standard square formation. The ordering is the same as for a modern square dance (1st couple with the backs to the music, 2nd is on their right, 3rd is opposite the 1st, and 4th is on the 1st's left). Note that this is different from Playford's ordering, and from the Quadrille ordering.

A cotillion begins with eight bars of honours:

The Gentlemen take off their Hats, and all make their Obeisances, as if beginning a Minuet, but somewhat quicker; and falling back to their Places, the Gentlemen put on their Hats. During this Time the first Strain is play'd once over, by Way of Introduction, and then the Dance begins thus:

Sixty years later Wilson says that honours should be done to opposite and then to partner.

In a Cotillion there is a figure (which is always the same in any given dance) and a set of changes; each time through the dance a different change is used and it is followed by the immutable figure. Hurst shows all the changes taking 8 bars, but according to Gallini, 1772 some changes take 16 bars and some take 8. The changes always use the first strain of music (repeated as needed to fill out the change).

The Regency Dance Site has a table of all the changes they found in old sources.

Hurst's description of the order of dancing a Cotillion:

All make the great Ring Then the Figure, as directed First Change The Figure Second Change The Figure Third Change The Figure Fourth Change The Figure Sixth Change The Figure Seventh Change The Figure Eighth Change The Figure Ninth Change The Figure Tenth Change The Figure Eleventh Change The Figure Twelfth Change The Figure Thirteenth Change The Figure Fourteenth Change The Figure .

Observe, that the fourteenth Change, being the great Ring, the Figure is repeated after it; and then all making their Bows and Courtesies, as before directed, the dance is concluded

Cotillions generally begin and end with the same change, "Le Grand Rond" (or some variant of that name), which involves a circle eight hands round (and sometimes back).

Most sources do not specify whether the circle is clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Saltator (who wrote in the US and 40 years after the others) says the circle starts to the left. Wilson who wrote in 1822 agrees saying that the circle is the same as Hands Six Round in English Country Dancing; only performed with eight persons instead of six. which would mean he thinks the circle should be clockwise.

In Colin Hume's interpretation of The Ridicule he says that Anne Daye says Yes, the grand round in cotillons always goes to the R first, then L, no ambiguity about that. Small circles of four usually go L then R.

The Regency Dance Site's list of changes only has Fishar calling for "le grand rond" to start counter-clockwise.

I'm not sure why the first occurance of "Le Grand Rond" in Hurst, Siret, and Gallini doesn't count as the first change, while the last occurance does count as the last change, but all three of them show "Le Grand Rond" occuring before the first change, and followed by the figure.

Observe also, that if at any Time the Dances are required to be shorten'd let the Performers call, and do the great Ring (wherever they have a mind to curtail it) instead of the Changes that were to have followed, and so conclude it; and, in this Manner, the Cotillons may be concluded at the Pleasure of the Dancers.

Then Hurst defines his 14 changes:

FIRST CHANGE, called Swing Partners

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VERY one take their Partner by the Right-Hand, and turn once round. Ditto back again, with the Left-Hand. Always be careful to set the Strain out, when needful. Never begin the Figure of the Dance 'till the second Strain; and always finish on the Spot where you began, otherwise the Figure will not be compleated.

SECOND CHANGE, Turn Partners.

Every one turn their Partners once round, with both Hands. Ditto back again; and set the Strain out, as before directed.

THIRD CHANGE, Ladies Hands across.

The four Ladies advance to the Middle; and, giving their Right-Hands across, turn once round: Then changing to the Left-Hands across, turn once round back again.

FOURTH CHANGE, Gentlemen Hands across.

The four Gentlemen give Hands across, as directed for the Ladies.

FIFTH CHANGE, Ladies Hands round.

The four Ladies Hands round in the Middle, and back again, as in the Cross.

SIXTH CHANGE, Gentlemen Hands round.

The four Gentlemen Hands round in the Middle, and back again, as in the Cross.

SEVENTH CHANGE, Ring Top and Bottom.

The first Couple, second Man, and fourth Woman, Hands four round at Top, and back again; while the third Couple, fourth Man, and second Woman, Ditto at Bottom, at the same Time.

EIGHTH CHANGE, Ring on each Side.

The second Couple, first Man, and third Woman, Hands four round on the Right-Side, and back again; while the fourth Couple, first Man and third Woman, Ditto on opposite Side.

NINTH CHANGE, Hands across Top and Bottom.

This is done in the same Manner as CHANGE Seventh.

TENTH CHANGE, Hands across on each Side.

This is also done in the same Manner as CHANGE Eighth.

ELEVENTH CHANGE, Right and Left all round.

Every one face their Partner, and give the Right and Left all round in a large Ring. 'till they arrive in their own proper Places, where they finish. Observe, that in doing this the Ladies go round one Way, and the Gentlemen the contrary Way.

TWELFTH CHANGE, The Promenade, or Walk.

Every Gentleman takes his Partner by the Left-Hand; and putting his Right-Hand round her Waist; in this Manner they follow each other all round in a great Ring, and finish in their proper Places.

THIRTEENTH CHANGE, Beat all round.

Every one follow each other singly all round in a large Ring to their own Places, clapping Hands to the Measures of the Tune.

FOURTEENTH CHANGE, The Great Ring.

Every one join Hands with the Person that is next to them, and make a great Ring of Eight once round.

Different authors have slightly different lists of changes. Longman, 1770 says:

1. Turn your partner with both hands.
2. Four Ladies hands across.
3. Four Gentlemen hands across.
4. Four Ladies hands round.
5. Four Gentlemen hands round.
6. L'Allemande.
7. La Chaine.
8. La Prominade.
9. All round.

While Siret, 1770, says:

1. partner right turn and back.
2. partner both hands and back.
3. ladies right hands across and left hands back.
4. gents right hands across and left hands back.
5. ladies circle and back.
6. gents circle and back.
7. each couple allemande once round at right, another round at left.
8. all round again as at the beginning.

And Gallini, 1772, says:

CHANGE I.

Each Couple join their Right hands and turn, then back with the Left. (8 bars)

2. Each Couple join both hands and turn to the Right, then back to the Left. (8 bars)
3. Ladies Moulinet to the Right, then to the Left. (8 bars)
4. Gentlemen Moulinet to the Right, then to the Left. (8 bars)
5. Ladies join hands and go Round to the Right, then to the Left. (8 bars)
6. Gentlemen join hands and go Round to the Right, then to the Left. (8 bars)
7. Each Couple Allemande to the right then to the left. (8 bars)
8. La Grande Chaine. (16 bars)
9. La Course, or La Promenade to the right. (16 bars)
10. Le Grand Rond. (16 bars)

In Gallini's second change, where the dancers do two hand turns, he says the dancers begin turning to the Right. I suspect he means "clockwise" rather than turning toward the right shoulder (My father used the phrase in this fashion). It would be odd if the one hand turn started clockwise, but the two hand turn started counter-clockwise.

Gallini goes on to define that Allemande is the standard Regency allemande involving interlaced arms and turning; La Grande Chaine. is just grand rights and lefts (except all the way round); La Promenade is simply promenade (all the way round), etc.

Gallini also mentions Le Grand Quarré though his explanation is somewhat lacking.

From Boston in the US Saltator, 1802, says:

A description of the ten changes, used in all regular cotillions, requisite to be first known, follows:

Change 1st. All eight address partners, in the time of the chassè, then the ballette. All eight circinate to the left half round, balance, circinate back to their places.

Change 2d. All dance address to partners, promenade them round with the right hand, dance address, promenade round with the left hand.

Change 3d. All dance, address to partners, circinate them round on the right, dance address, circinate quite round on the left.

Change 4th All dance address to partners, allemand them quite round on the right, dance address, allemand quite round on the left.

Change 5th. The four ladies centre ballance, moulinet half round brissé, centre balance, back again.

Change 6th. All four gentlemen centre ballance, moulinet half round brissé, centre-balance, back again.

Change 7th. The four ladies centre ballance, circinate half round brissé, centre balance, back again.

Change 8th. The four gentlemen centre ballance, circinate half round brissé, centre balance, back again.

Change 9th. All eight right and left quite round to their places.

Change 10th. All eight circinate quite round, then back again in a circle.

Saltator uses the word "circinate" to mean both "circle" and "hand turn" (and perhaps other things too). "brissé" is a cast. I assume "address partners" is some kind of honouring or setting, but I can't find a definition.

Hurst writes:

The Figure

The 1^st. and 3^d. Couples meet in the middle 1^st. Man goes round 4^th. Wom. 1^st. D^o round 2^d. Man 3^d. Man round 2^d. Wom. and 3^d. Wom. round 4^th. Man 1^st. Man and 3^d. Wo. whole figure round 4^th. Cou. 1^st. Wo. and 3^d. Man D^o. round 2^d. Cou. 1^st. and 3^d. Couples Right and left in the middle and finish proper. The 2^d. and 4^th. Couples meet in the middle 2^d. Man goes round 1^st. Wom. 2^d.round 3^d. Man 4^th. Man round 3^d. Wom. and 4^th. Wom. round 1^st. Man 2^d. Man and 4^th. Wo. whole figure round 1^st. Cou. 2^d. Wo. and 4^th. Man D^o. round 3^d. Cou. 2^d. and 4^th. Couples Right and left in the middle and finish proper.

Observe that in this figure as well as in a few others the first Strain is used, but by attention to the rules already given no mistake will arise from that circumstance.

The music consists of two 4 bar strains.

As in Le Medecin Extravagante Hurst attempts to squeeze a full figure eight into 4 bars. He explicitly says "whole figure", and in Le Pont Neuf he uses the term "half figure" so I doubt he is confusing the two. He also tries to squeeze four changes of rights and lefts into 4 bars. I think both of these issues would make this a difficult dance to enjoy.