“And what would be the advantage of this puppet over living dancers?”
“Advantage? At first only a negative one, my illustrious friend: it would never move with affectation - for affectation appears, as you know, when the soul (vix motrix) is located in a different point than the centre of gravity of the movement.  Since the machinist, through his wire or thread, ultimately has no control over any point other than the center of gravity, the other limbs are what they should be: dead, mere pendula, and follow the pure law of gravity; an excellent quality, that you would look for in vain in most of our dancers.”

Heinrich von Kleist, On the Marionette Theatre (1810)