Notes
1
There is no agreement as to whether this is Le or La and whether it is Boulanger, Boulangere or Boulangerie.
2
Originally for as many couples as will.
3
It is the only dance named in Jane Austen's novels and correspondence (Chapter 3 of Pride and Prejudice, 1813). When the Bennett sisters and their mother return from the Meriton Assembly, Mrs. Bennett reports to her husband on the excitement of meeting Mr. Bingley. She mentions the Boulanger being danced. “So, he enquired who she was, and got introduced, and asked her for the two next. Then the two third he danced with Miss King, and the two fourth with Maria Lucas, and the two fith with Jane again, and the two sixth with Lizzy, and the Boulanger”
4
The earliest instructions we have are from 1760 and it continued to be published for at least 100 years. The instructions vary over time and by source, but all sources state that it can be done by any number of couples.
5
Elias Howe, a dancing master in Boston, publishes the following instruction in 1862. "La Boulangère is a French dance of great antiquity; in the present day it usually forms the concluding dance of a ball, in the same way that Sir Roger de Coverley does in England. The gentlemen and their partners place themselves in a circle, and join hands, the gentlemen facing inwards, and the ladies outwards of the circle. They dance once round still keeping hands, and when they come back to their places, the leading couple begin the figure. The gentleman with his right hand takes his partner's right hand, turns once round with her, and then leaves her. After which, with his left hand he takes the left hand of the lady next in rotation, turns once round in like manner with her, and then returns to his partner, to whom he gives his right hand as before, then his left to the lady standing next in the circle, and so on to the end, always alternately dancing with his partner, who in the meantime when he leaves her, is to continue to turn by herself inside the circle, and keeping as far as she can from him. When this couple arrive at their own place again, the whole number join hands as before, turn once round, and the next couple to the right dance the same figure. When the party is very large, two couples may begin at the same time, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the room. After which the ladies dance the same figure."
7
If this is danced with more than 3 couples it would be necessary to have the music played AA BB*n-2, eg 4 couples requires AABBB and 5 couples requires AABBBB.
