Later, in 1700, a French dance teacher, Raoul-Auger Feuillet, published a notation system that is used even today to recreate Baroque social and theatrical dances. Why We Look at Dance Manuals Dance manuals can tell us important things about how people lived in past eras. For example, the illustrations and, later, photographs not only illuminate how people dressed, but demonstrate body carriage. In addition, each era has codified rules of etiquette, specific gender roles, as well as codes regarding acceptable behavior toward one's partner while dancing. Dance manuals are an excellent source for this type of information.
Many manuals also contain music to accompany the dances.
The author declares that the pavane is a processional dance and frequently used to open a ball. Ladies and Gentlemen, dressed in their finest ball clothes, would process as partners in a line around the ballroom. The following provides more information on the style as well as the gentleman's clothes. And the damsels with demure mien, their eyes lowered save to cast an occasional glance of virginal modesty at the onlookers. From these quotations by Arbeau, one would appropriately assume that the pavane was a dignified dance.