Although many other forms of social and theatrical dance existed in the world during the Baroque period, the term Baroque Dance is often used in reference to the French noble dance style and technique of the late 17th- and early 18th-centuries. Cultivated by the dancing masters and dance activities at the court of Louis XIV, the style greatly influenced dancing in ballrooms and theatres throughout Europe. French dancing masters were prized commodities and French dances, via dance notation, were danced all over Europe while the French dancing manuals were translated (and paraphrased) into various languages.