The choreographic system of Thoinot Arbeau (Jehan Tabouro,
1519-1595) used an alphabetic code to describe dance steps
(movements). However, this system was in certain respects
very primitive as details used to describe foot and body
movements are effectively absent in an alphabetic code. "R"
might abbreviate a "reverence", but how is a "reverence"
done (what does it look like)? No costumes are described by
an alphabetic code. An alphabetic code does not describe
the music, nor how the music is correlated to dance steps.
Finally, an alphabetic code does not describe the geometric
paths dancers use on the dance floor space. All these
aspects of dance evolved and this evolution can be seen in
Arbeau's "Orchésography!
A Description of Different Dance Movements or Steps, Costumes, Stage Geometry
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