Manners & Movements; Mesdames

Female movement was also like that of a trained ballet dancer, graceful and vital with the centre of motion at the waist, which was both flexible and yet firmly controlled at all times. The gown often had to be lifted and set down again; this was accomplished by making a graceful sweeping curve, not by merely picking up and dropping the skirt. A grand manner had to be adopted in walking in order to carry the heavy looped-up skirts and the high head-dresses of the later French Baroque style. A lady learned to walk in high-heeled shoes with a firm but graceful step rather than an unsteady mincing one. In dancing, the skirt was firmly picked up on one side or even on both sides, and the insides of the wrists were always turned out when the lady was in repose so as to display the lines of the hands and arms to the best of advantage. In addition, when sitting on the grand furniture of the period, the lady had to gracefully ensure that her skirt was smoothly placed under her while she sat straight and tall, conveying a combination of queenly authority and feminine charm.

The most important accessory for a lady of this age was the fan, which was used in the "battles" of love and conversation. The lady always handled it with technical proficiency, never fluttering it in a rapid or random way. The fan was usually held away from the body with very flexible movements of the arms, wrists, and shoulder socket. A typical movement of the fan is as follows: the fan is held in front of the body, not too close to the face, with the painted side facing outwards; then the arm is brought straight down in front of the body and to the side. With the fan toward the ground, the wrist is turned sharply so that the fan is turned up to its original position; then it is swung toward the body back into the starting position. All these movements have to run together into a rhythmic swing with deftness and elegance. When using the collapsible fans of the period, the fan is dropped open and then twisted into position with a quick turn of the wrist. The earlier non collapsible fan was wafted back and forth with movements of the wrist and forearm; the same was done with the collapsible fan. All movement was controlled and subtle - used to emphasise a point or to accent an idea rather than to create a picturesque effect.

The curtsy was the basic movement of female reverence from the sixteenth century onward, and variations developed, based on the costume worn or the amount of reverence shown. Basically, the lady slid back on the instep of the right foot with the instep pressing the ground, behind and slightly to the left of the left leg; the instep of the sliding foot took the weight, and the lady gradually sank down sitting on the bent right leg, arms falling to the side, and head lowered. The important point was the crossing under of the sliding right leg, this movement being supported by crossed thighs. The lady then rose with her weight on the left foot since this foot did not move during the entire sequence of the curtsy.

For entering a room, the curtsy en avant was in order. Here the lady paused on the foot that made the last step, slid the disengaged foot into the fourth position, or to the front, and bent the knees with weight equally distributed and without bending the body or shaking. The lady rose with the weight on the front foot.

For leaving a room, the curtsy en arrière was appropriate. Stepping aside, the lady curtsied in the first or third position with the weight on the rear foot. A compliment in conversation might also be acknowledged in this way.
In walking, the curtsy en passant was made. To accomplish this, the lady positioned herself parallel to the person being greeted, made a step on the left foot and half turned to the person, and then bent her knees, bringing forward the right foot and coming up with the weight on the right foot. This was repeated to many different individuals in a group or receiving line. The lady might also have waved her fan gently while curtsying. In all of this, the gentleman led the lady, walking slightly ahead and turning slightly toward her.

source http://www.kipar.org/historical-resources/history_france_etiquette.html