The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-03-05
oLD.rASHIoNCD DANCES.
THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THEIR coURTLY
GRACE AND THE MODERN waIRLING.

| From the Pail Mall Gazette.
Tho minuet was the great dance OF the
eighteen century. 1t had both grace aud
| gailantry. The initial and terminating
bows have been immortalized by Burke in
a passage in which he speaks of i" that ger,-
erous loyalty to rank and sex. that proud
submission, that dignified obedience"
The minuet was the real test of graceful
ness. All balls began with 1t, and it was
such universal study that the very senri-
ment of it, 1t has been declared, inspired
the nation and gave something Of the tone
which characterized society in that age.
Or take the country dances-the cushion
dance, for instance; who ever hears Of the
cushion dance now? Yet there must be
some old people who remember the figures
and the steps-the exchange between the
top and bottom couples-the throwing
down the cushion as an excuse for kiss
the fight and pursuit and the Joyous action
of the whole of the dancers These dances
dwell IN the memory of the oId-a fast
vanishing race-and make their youth
happy time to recall Will our waltzes and
gallops do as much for us? Should you be
spared into old age, what impression shall
you preserve Of the dances you have danced
in your youth? Where be- the old hearth
ness, the merry, spontaneous laugh, the
admirable decorum, the calm grace, the
keen enjoyment9 Alack! the cushion dance
has become the dance of death. When
we grow old We shall have to angle for
bright recollections Of our youth in other
wells than where our ballroom experiences
lie sunk.
Perhaps the only old-fashioned dance
that survives is the cotillion. This dance
Is full Of Spanish grace. In South America
they introduce some odd tricks into their
dancing. Ladies ill empty egg shells with
eau de cologne and carry them to the ball;
there they break them upon tie heads of
the gentlemen. 1t is meant as challenge.
The gentleman who receives this moist
tribute is bound in gallantry to find out the
lady and return the mpliment. Another
trick is for young man to 90 behind a
girl, place his sombrero over her head, let
ting it fall over her eyes, and then to spring
back among the dancers. If the girl
throws off the hat it means that she can
dispense with any attention the gentleman
would like to pay her, and be is obliged to
pick up his hat amid general langh. If
the hat is retained then at the end of the
dance the owner claims it from the lady
and with it her hand for the rest of the
evening. The cotillion is clearly based on
fancies of this kind. The introduction of
the chair, the seating of lady, the pre-
of the gentlemen, the blindfold-
ing of gentleman, with lady on either
side of him, and his hazardous choice of
one of them as partner, are distinctly
Southern elements, giving graceful life and
laughter to the waltzing accompaniment.
This survives, but the other dances are
ended. Whether they are worth reyiving
Is question for girls to decide. At all
events, one may believe that a girl could
never look more picturesque than when en-
gagged in one Of these old-fashioued dances, |
Just as it is certain that girl is never
seen to worse advantage than when she has |
herself from the grip Of man,
after long, painting aud perspiring waltz,
rs this dance Is now performed.