New-York tribune., 1876-02-26
REVIVAL OF The MINUEE
now 1T WAS DANCED IN wAsHINGToHs DAT.
Enr the first time in this city since Washing


For the first time in this city since Washing
tons day. is believed the genuine m'aae oe "a CO.."
WAS danced Tuesday night the Academy Of Ausci the
couse az charity II opened the ball. did In the ays
NJ the Grand Monarch in France. 1t was simply
An illustration OF the mipuet by twenty or more
Young people who have been practicng lis hricacie
diligently for the last month what passes current oy m
name of the mnuet the dancing academies OF ths ana
other cities is only q quadre with the flavor of the
stately oltne dance whose name II has Appropriated
PRO erly the mnuet daEced only In couples, as are
the galop and and other round dances OF tue present
day the cheaper currency which has drVen out oi USE
the better sterling coin of former period IL Was So
danced in colonial days There lives In Germah'o"n'
Pennsylvania silyer-haired old lady, born over Ioo
years ago named Mira Margaret Boggs who, at one oi
the courtly private assembages Of that era, led the
Inurt with Washington and from her II Is possible 10
learn the manner Of the genuine min"dde "a eo "Iin"u
resorng to the libraries The occasion was Yea parry
of about guests, of which MIS- boggs 'hen TO- ""o
one She wore that evening satin diess with very
loug trainso lony fact, that in entering the house IL
was necessary for her maids to come behind ana t
os s,e WALKED Her hair arranged IN front IKE
cushion and Tell in natural eurls do"n her SHOULDERS
and was all powdered, after the pretty colonial Inon
Washington led her by the hand TO the oor Inc music
was slow and diged, almost choral III its chardcter
Alter a profound salutaOn 10 the company thco $40"
steps forward were akon. followed by an equally grave
sanitation 70 each 9th this point modern society
e1r would laughed but there was no laughing WIN
the dgniiied Washington. After the reverence tie
. vouny lady was led to her place by the hand
There then began series vi SLOW, grhcciu
evolntions by which the imaginative old freneh
masters who perfected this dance intended to represent
the varying relations of newly formed acquaintance"
t each other IN good society. At times the partners
were ten PAGES apart. They would pass each o'h'i
gracefully Lut Cravely two or three thc- - thoh
reluctant To meet then advance slowly with smile,
ana oin hands then coquettsly retire st ihcing ahd
smiling; then hesitate AMI pirouette ana even abso-
u;ely turn away from each other; ultimately. however
advancing with smile ant joining both hands ana IT.
turning to their places II IN tbs manner that inc
minuct was danced at the Academy of Music
Tn, memory of ts Old nent Las been kept alive
through various causes, aud at times the dance has
seemed on the point Of returning to public favor Ihry
years ago in the caIals ~ Europe there were decided
symptoms of IT, 1t danced at Vienna aud at London
aud elsewhere, but its reign IN Europe was orr In
This country IL has been taught al Baltimore, In western
YORK. al Boston, Philadelphia. Ne"-fofk' anu else
where About ten Years ago cOtoFle OF young people
euterprsngy attempted To master its dhcue- 10 iehu
an add iona charm to the private entertainment
Of n wealthy gentleman of this city. something oy
the name Of the minuet is danced In the acAd'n
OF instucton here every Winter and only last satuF-
lay night. this quadrile miuuct was one OF the
features of the evening" pleasures At an a'scmbaso o
yOung de, Otrs OF fashion on Fiftlayc TWO years ago.
something by tie name of the minuot also brought
ont up, n Ir s.aee as will be nrmDered ~ cveryb ~
wLo saw Tae \, hVo for ScludI," at the Fnh avenue
Th.at,r That sterling drama vas Illuminated by
dance having sone tho steps of the minlrt, aud fol
lowed by the rapid gavotte, furious whrl al some
times was allowed 10 supplement the graver hsrcs ~
the later jg cOncuIcl tLc quairile 1t will b. seen.
nerefoie that Tor 80 there uls been some promise
nf a revival Of tie fatOuo dane of cur grcitsra
mothers; aud. waiting like Electra in the oil tale. for lho
return OF O-cstes IN al the glory of hs An lent namc
;he GAnrnnastpss 0f the cOuLtfy have been aniicI
plfiuc foi years that the next surely would
the Installation of tho mnie positive feature Of
private gnthcrD~s for amusement IN good society Un
he present moment, however, nothing has boen visible
uf the wdndcsec certainly uO,.us really to justly the
hopes OF the professor.
IL would not strange, however, n society In one oi
lie wayward freaks up the old dance again. The
grcatrandinOthers who sim surviving the min
act depart with powdered hair long trans and old ash
toned country gentlemen The times gain chansln:
-- u tact have changed H. grand sOciIl asscmbases
toilets arc worn that do comp r well with rapid mo
ton and DO not appear 10 advantage In tie Ia
yotte dances OF n.ciety. TMe spirit Of the creates
passion fr The wAliL gaop and rcdOwa. As Is put by
era ulla VINO surveys the ballroom With Veterans
eye everything j. now vclocipcde." II cannot long
MIN % with tho fashion OF wc.rn: elaborate xi beau
m costumes at the ball Andit il questionable leihcr
hc dln u aud prop.iciy Of grand balls IN good society
would not be vastly promoted by r-n,roluring such
dances as ile iniuuct and whether they would really
be- enjoyable.
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