National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-03
THE OANOAN.
WHAT IT Is, WHERE 1T GAME FROM,
AND HOW IT Is DANCED.

AND HOW IT Is DANCED.
From the Brooklyn Eagle.l
Can-ean, like other institutions, can boast
history fraught with trials, and, to use the term
Of the manager Of the Grand Central; persecu-
lions. Its origin dates back seven centuries, to
time when the feudal inhabitants Of the VOsges
Mountains, on the borders Of Germany, In order
to commemorate . certain yearly feast they kept
up, the men always came dressed in grotesque
costumes, carrying swords and spears, and they
engaged in q kind Of dance tournament which
was called "Can-ean." At the present day many
engraVings representing them at this feast exist,
but it is doubtful whether It was the anniversary
Of the feast or the dance which they called "Oan-
can" This feast died out after two centuries.
The women can-can dame was first introduced in
the low order Of houses in Paris, about fty years
ago 1t was performed then as II Is at present in
many places in Paris by the most abandoned
covering their nudity, one end OF which was at
tached 70 their shoulder and in this position they
Waltzed around TO strains Of the music. After
thoritles only TO be discharged next day, Il died
out AFTER run Of q few years.
About thirty years ago IL was again dneed,
result as before. In few Of the lower dens II
remained unnoticed until Ledoux opened It on
larger SCALE in saloon, which he called the jar
din Mabille. Himself and the dancers who per-
formed in the disgusting costumes before de
scribed were arrested on several occasions, but
always escaped punishment. He dehed the au-
thoritlee, ard hfB unprecedented success made
him open the Mabille garden on high scale, and
with few slight notifications In the interest Of
morality in the costume Of the dancers. This was
the lrst foothold Of the can-canism as an open
and permanent Institution, and the success OF Le-
doux led TO the establishment Of the various shows
Of that kind now extant. Its 1rst Introduction in
America was by Fletcher, tEenty-six years ago.
at Croton hall, corner Of Bowery and Division
after q few nights fits immortality came to the
knowledge Of the authorities, and the place was
pulled As in Paris t5sE we're s,0 discharged the
bonds. The arrest scared him from Oroton hall,
and he played in Chatham street.
Here the dancers wore trunks, and nesh-colofed
tights ike model artists, or trapeze performers,
and his success was not as good as az Oroton hall
After four weeks be moved 70 the Franklin thea
peared as q manager George Lee also kept
troupe at III Grand street, but the model artist
style did not take, and It died out. q
During the war. in 1852 II reappeared under
the MANAGEMENT Of Helene LefaVre, French
woman, who brought part Of the troupe with her
ing trunks and stockiDgG 1t had good run Of
success, and she afterward Travelled through Bos-
ton, Philadelphia, Chicago, ST. Louis, washing
interfered with except at the opera-house, Balti-
more, where they spent night in the station
house. only to be discharged the next morning.
Several smaller troupes performed In the Western
cities, but Il was dropped after Helene Lefavre
being arrested N Memphis, Tenn She aiterWard
married John Manning, Of the Metropolitan, and
On the second Of August last Manning reintro-
duced II Of the Metropolitan, and the raid Of the
police and the discharge Of the dancers next
morning are fresh in the memory Of all. In the
meantime several enterprising managers tried
It IN St Louis, Buffalo, New Haven, and the
larger cities throughout the country, whore It
was, IN nearly every instance, success.
Prom can-ean sprung other dances, whose only
claim TO Be legitimate are that they appear IN
tights and trunks. These are the "Black Crook
white FaWn,n -Humpty Dumpty,n "Deluge5
ia Belle Helene Les Cents Nierges. i ana
# their performance Is immoral the others are
equally %,