The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1878-03-20
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20. ISIS.
TyroIcse Dancing.

Ballie Grohman gives US an account Of q we'd
ding which he attended III Brandenburg little
Alpine hamlet IN the valley OF the same name.
He had to traverse u narrow briilepath, which
was covered with snow TO the depth OF three
and 10 some places four or five feet it was
seven hours battle with the snow before he
reached the inu Of the village, in which the we'd
dings are always held. He was moved to over
come these difficulties, because he had promised
TO honor the wedding Of a-charming young
peasant-girl with a special pr0iegs OF hts own.
Counties outstretchei hands ne says, "brawny
and muscular. small and plump. clean and dirty
we're Immediately stretched out 10 greet me"
Ii was Sunday. and the eve Of the wedding-Gay :;
the bar,rOOm, or GaSiStUbe, was hlled with young
and old. fair and ugly Brandenburgans. 1t is
not usually the custom to dance on the eve OF
the wedding day but at his special request his
old patron very soon put musicians at work IN
the dancing-room. lie was Immediately sur
rounded by group OF young fellows offering
him, as mark OF courtesy their bright eyed
asses. Finding choice easy, he was soon
dancing the pas Ssut-that is, one dance round
the room, while the other couples line the walls
and fall in at lis termination. In Brandenburg
and in some other valleys the male dancer encir-
Giles the waist OF his partner with both arms
while she embraces HIN with both arms round
the neck. For the first few minutes of every
dance the floor lrembles beneath the irOn-shod
shoes OF these immense fellows. Suddenly the
music changes and with il the entire aspect of the
room. The man, letting go his partner, begins
a series of gymnastc capers and jumps; their
heavy frames display an nnlooked-tor agility.
One of the comnonest movements is to throw
ones self on ones knees, fold both arms over
the chest and bend backward I'LL the back of the
head touches the floor and gives lew sound
inrr ri ia with
jerk, the man regains his erect position without
touching the floor with his hands. In another
movement the man kneels down and with
his bare knees beats sound rat II ta-tat
on the floor. To jump high up in the
air and come down upon the knees with fall
force. is very common. All these capers are
accompanied with loud, shrill whstling AID Pc
cuar smaekiug sounds of the lips aud tongue,
10 imitation Of the sounds made by the black
cock and capercailize. The sounding sapS On
the muscular thighs and on the iroushod soles
Of the heavy shoes by their great horny hands,
the growing, loud shouts. snatches of Song inter
mingled with shrll whistling aud furious stamp
ing of the feet with greatest possible force upon
the floor, produced prodgous din.
In Brandenburg and one or two other Tyrolese
valleys which have 4 particularly muscular fair
sex, the girl at the conclusion OF her partners
feats, catches him by his braces, and aided by
corresponding jerky action of the mau, hoists
him up bodily. The youth balancing himself
with both hands on her shoulders, treads the
ceiling OF the low room to the music, while she
continues her dance. round the floor. The men
are strappiug fellows, and it must be muscular
young women who eau perform this feat. There
are sometimes four or FIVE men hoisted at time,
and the singular spectacle adds much to the
striking appearance of the ballroom. The girls
are fond of smoking, and are seen treading the
peace of the dance with cigar or pipe between
their lips.
The dances are short and follow each other
closely. The intervals between them are filled
by the SctRaderhupfel, short song or series of
rhymes, sung by q man, expressive OF deEision or
defiance toward some rival. 1t is sung by one
of the dancers standing in front of the slightly
raised platform upon which the musicians sit
his sweetheart stands by his side with downeast
eyes and profuse bushes on her cheeks. The
object of this affront will compose his rhymed
reply with great raptdity. In this way rival
bards will continue to throw contempt on one
another for a considerable length of time. The
girl, if there should be no refrain 10 her loyerss
song. has to stand in silence by his side. Love
is the subject of most of these songs. A girl
changing lovers, or refusing the hand of ardent
woer, forms frequent aud welcome subject for
SciRddsFhUPfsl The songs are generally of very
dubious morality. 1t is not every young fellow,
however who has skill enough to improvise one
Of these compositions. A good many have to be
satisfied with singing one of the usual national
lays, and N this the sweetheart joins.-Apple-
tons Journal