Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-09-30
GEiSceilany-
Dancing.

Warm climates seem to be naturally
productive of and the most favorable to
the best singers and dancers. There
alone can be found that glow and viva
city, that impetuOusness and enthusiasm
which can hardly ever be equaled in
northern climates. In Russia, for in
stance. dancing is quite as common a
pastime as IN Spain or Italy. But how
vast the difference The Russian
peasants 5 dance Is heavy, hstless, and
oftentimes devoid of gracefulness. He
merely sways to and fro to the mono
touoas music OF the Jd'Nfcica, long
guitar, whose notes are frequently
drowned by the shouts and songs of the
bystauders. The dance Of the Cossacks
is nothing but noisy tramp, or con-
densed stamping Of the feet, dignifed
with the oeupEonious names of ''koppak, 1"
''tropak," and "kastchok. But the
Coust dance is the polonaise, of Polish
origin, rs indicated by the name.
1t Is merely a measured promenade
or march, afiording the very best
opportunity for conversation, is at once
graceful and unconstrained, while the
strictest etiquette may be maintained.
The Te6owa, uaZurka and yarsoyienne
are all Polish dances. Great Britain,
France and Germany have each been
the birthplace of quite number of
special or fancy dances, but at the
present Jay there Is really no national
dancing, and the same style prevails in
nil countries at least in good society.
The Jig and country dance are purely
English, while the reel is Unmistakably
of Scotch origin. The minuet-so called
because Of the short step (menus pas)
taken the different figures-originated
in the old French province of Potion,
and was afterwards introduced by the
Marquis de Flaumerens into England,
where It long remained in great favor,
and deseIvedIy, for IT was a dignified
and graceful dance. The gayotte, which
has recently come into fashion here as
"a fancy dance, WAS tripped centuries
ago by the peasant girls IN the gavot's
country-a small, mountainous country
in the neighborhood of Gap in the
south Of France.
The ever. r.doligLtful waltz, contrary,to
general belief, isnCt OF German origin.
II was extremely popular in France
toward the thirteenth and fourteenth
centuries, and became known IN Ger
many only after that period. Its popu-
iariiy was soon established in all coun-
tries, despite the prsiGdices and objec-
lions raised against 1t. The polka was
brought from the forests of Hungary in
1910, and created quite a sensation.
Everything was done in polka fashion.
There We're polka hats and dress goods,
polka ieweiry and polka trimming.
Shortly after the polka became popular
here, or about the same time, MIR. Polk
was elected to the Presidency of the
United States, and owing to this some
what singular coincidence, many per
sons supposed that the new dance had
been named after him, or in his honor.
Tho schottsehe and mazurka next came
in vogue, and from that time fancy
dances multiplied rapidly, many of
them going ont of fashion before the
end of a month. Not few of the
modern dances were first brought out
on the stage.
The cotillon-introduced here under
the name of the Germans a very old
dance, which has been but slightly
modified, for most of its figures were
weil-known more than one hundred
years ago in several of the ancient
Provinces Of France. The bouquet,
mirror and butterfly figures, for in
stance, were quite popular, and it
mainly consisted, and does now. of
round dances. Then, as now, it re-
guired some talent to be a good leader
OF the costillon. The Orientsls are
very fond Of Witnessing ballets and in
tricate pas suels, but they never dance
themselves. The dances of the baya-
deres and almees are true pantomimes,
though not always very delicate or
graceful ones.