The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-08-30
Dancing.

Warm climates seem to be naturally produc-
tive Of and the most favorable to the best singers
and dancers. Their. alone can be found that
giGw and vivaclty, that impetaousness and en-
thusiasm, which can hardly ever be elualed i'll
northern climates. In Russia, for instance, dan
eng is quite as common pastime az IN Spain or
Italy But how vast the difference The Rus
sian peasant dance Is heavy, hstess, and Often
times devoid Of Sraeesulness. lie merely sway
to and fro to the monOtonous music OF the
bn'ntejcd long guitar, whose notes are fire.
quently drowned by the shouts and songs Of the
bystanders. The dance Of the Cossacks is
nothing but noisy tramp 81 condensed stamp
ing OF the feet, dig,iitied n1th the euphonious
names of ''koppak, tropak, and hastchok.' ~
But the Court dance IS the polonalses Of Polish
origin, as indicated by The name
1t is merely measured promenade or march,
affording the very best opportunity for conversa-
ton, is at graceful and unconstralncd,
while the strIctest etiquette may be maintained
The redoe a nj zurka and varsovienne are all
Polish dances. Great Britain, France and Ger
many have each been the birthplace Of quite a
number of special or fancy dances. but at the
present day the re is really 10 national dancing
and the same style prevails in all countries at
least in good society. The JIG and country dance
are purely English, while the reel Is unmlstak-
ably Of Scotch origin. The minuet-so called
because Of the short step menus pas taken in
the different figures ginated IL the old French
province Of Potion, and was afterwards intro
duced by the Marquis de Flanmerehs INTO Eng
land, where it long renamed IN great favor, and
de,eryedly for il was digniiicd and graceful
dance. The gavotte, which has recently come
iuto fashion here az & fancy dance. was trPpcd
centuries ago by the peasant girls III the gavot $
eountry-a small. mountainous country III the
neighbOrhood of Gap IL the south OF France.
The ever-delighttul waltz contrary to general
belief is rot of German origin II Has extreme
Iy popular III France toward the thirtccnih and
fourteenth centuries and bccam known III Ger
many only after that period. Us popularity was
soon established IN all countries, despite the
me iuliceS and obj ctons raised against i. The
polka was brought from the forests # hungary
Ia 1910, and created quite a ,ensa,lan. Every
thing was done il polka fashion. There Were
polka hats and dress goods, p"lka icweiry and
polha trimming. Shortly after thu polka became
popular here or about the same time, Mr.. Polk
va. elected to the Presidency of the lnlted
States and owing t. this somewhat singular CO.
I incidence. many persons supposed hat tn" new
dance had been named etS.r Inn, OF III bis onor.
The schDttisclIe and rnaZi IA next came IL vogue.
/ and from that time fancy dances multiplied rap
idly. many Of them gong ont OF fashion before
the end OF a month. Not few OF tie modern
dsnces were first brousi; ont on the stage
| The cotillon-introducedL here under the name OF
the Gcrman-is a very cld dance, which has been
but slightly modified, FOR most of its figures We're
well.known more than one hundred years ago IN
several of the ancient Provinces OF France. The
bououet, mirror and butterfly figures, for IN
stance, were quite popular, and II manly con-
sisted. and does now VI round dances. Then, as
now. 1t required some talent 70 be a good ie'at
| of the cotlfon The Crientals are very fond OF
witnessing ballets and Intricate pas SUES, out
they never dance themselves. Tne dances OF
the bavaderes and a,me are true paDtoIniIiles,
though not always very dehcate or graceful ones.