The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-05

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REVIVAL or TME MsNUET.
How u was Danced In Washington
Mar.
From the Now York Tribunel
For tho first time in this city since
Washington 3 day, rs II IL believed, the
genuine minuct dc Ia cOur WIS danced
Tuesday night ut the Academy Of Music
i'm the cause OF charity. II opened the
ball. as It did In the days of the Grand
Monarch I'm France. IL was simply
an illustration 81 the minuet by twenty
or more young people, who have been
practicing its intriCacics diligently for
the last month. What passes current
by the name OF the mihict I'm the dan
cling academies Of this and other cities
Is only a quadrille with the flavor OF the
stately old time war dance. whose name
II has appropriated. Properly, the min
uet Is danced only in couples. as are the
gnlop and waltz and other round dances
of the present day, the cheaper currency
which has driven out Of use the better
sterling coin of a former period. Itwas go
danced IN colonial days. There lives in
Germantown, Pa. ~ silver haired old
lady born over 100 years ago, named Mrs.
/ Margaret Boggs, who, ut one OF the
co,Irtly private asscmblages Of that era,
led the minuet with Washington, and
from her II ia possible to learn tho man
ner OF tho genuine mi,aet Oe Ia GO,D
without resorting TO the libraries. The
occasion was n tea party OF about twenty
guests. of which Mrs Boggs. then
| eighteen, was one. She wore that even
| ing satin dress with very long train
solong, in fact, that In entering the house
Ii was necessary for her maids to come
behind and lift itas she walked. Her hair
was arranged in front like cushion, and
! fell in natural curls down her shoulders,
and was all powdered, after the pretty
colonial fashion. Washington led her
by the hand to the floor. The music
was slow and dignitied, almost chloral
! in it's character. After a profound salu-
tation to the company, three slow steps
| forward were taken. followed by an
equally grave salutation to each other.
AT this point u moderate society girl
would have laughed. but there was no
laughing with, the dignitied Washing
ton After the reverence tho young
lady was led to her place by the
hand. There then began II series of
slow. graceful evolutions by which the
imaginative old French masters who
perfected this dance intended to repre-
sent the varying relations OF two newly
formed acquaintance to each other In
good society. Attimes the partners were
ten PAGES apart They would pass each
other gracefully but gravcly two or
three times, as though reluctant to
meet then advance slowly with smile,
and join hands; then coquettishly retire
still facing and smiling then hesitate.
and pirouette, and even absolutely turn
away from each other: ultimately, how
ever, advancing with a smile and join
places. 1t was in this manner that the
minuet was danced at the Academy of
Music.
The memory of this old amusement
has been kept alive through various
causes, and at times the dance has
seemed on the point of returning to pub
lie favor. Thirty years ago, In the CAPT
tails OF Europe, there were decided synle
toms Of II. II WAS danced at Vienna and
at London, and elsewhere, but its reign
in Europe was short In this country
Western New York. Boston. Phila-
delphia, New York, and elsewhere.
About ten years ago coterio OF
young people enterprisingly at
tempted to master It's difficult
ties, to lend an additional charm to the
private entertainment Of wealthy gen
tleman OF this city. Something BY the
name OF the minuct is danced In the
academies Of instruction here every
winter, and only last Saturday night,
this quadrille minuet was ono OF the
features Of the evenings pleasures at
an assemblage Of young devotees of
fashion on Fifth avenue. Two years ago
something by the name Of the min,let was
also brought out on the stage. rs will be
remembered by everybody who saw ''The
School for Scandal at the Fifth Ave-
nue. Theatre. That sterling drama was
illuminated bya dance having some of
the steps Of the minuet, and followed by
the rapid gavotte, q furious whirl that
sometimes was allowed to supplement
the graver figures as the later jig con
cluded the qpadrille; It will be seen.
therefore, chat for thirty years there
OF the favorite dance Of our great
grandmothers; and, waiting, like Elec-
ira In the old tale. for the return OF
Orestes in all the glory of his ancient
name, the dancing masters Of the coun-
try have been anticipating for years
that the next season surely would see
the installation Of the minuet as a posi-
tive feature or private gatherings for
amusement In good society. Until the
present moment, however, nothing has |
been visible Of the wanderer certainly
nothing really justify the hopes Of the
professors.
It would not be strange, however, il
society, in one OF its, hayward freaks, |
took up the old dance again. The great
who are still surviving |
saw the min,iet depart with the pow
dered hair, long trains, and old fash
Toned country gentlemen. The times
are again changing In fact, have
changed. In grand social assemblages
toilets are worn that do not comport well
with rapid motion, and do not appear
to their best advantage in the favOrite
dances OF society The spirit of the age
creates passion for the waltz, galop,
and redowa. As it il put by Grafulla,
who surveys the ball room with vete-
rams eve, Everything is now veloci-
pede." 1t cannot long remain 50 with
the fashion OF wearing elaborate and
beautiful costumes at the ball. And it
Is questionable whether the dignity and
OF grand balls in good society
would not be vastly promoted by re in
such dances as the minuet.
and whether they would not really be
more enjoyable.