The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-03-06
OLD FASHION DANCES.
Tho Contrast Between Their CourtIy
Grace and the Modern Whiriing.
From the Fall Mall GiEetto,

Tho minuct was tho great dance of the
Eighteenth century. II had both grace and
gallantry. The initial and terminating bows
have been mmoralized by Burke In II pas
sage in which he speaks Of "that generous
loyalty to rank and sex, that proud submis-
sion, that dignined obedience" The mnuct
was the real test of gracolulnoss, All balls
began with 1t, and il was such n uniyer-
sal study that the very sentiment oft, 1t has
been declared, inspired the nation and
gave something of the tone which character
lied society in that age. Or take tho country
dance--the cushion dances, for instance; who
ever hears of the cushion dance now Yet
there must be some old people who re-
member the figures and the steps-the e1-
change between the top and bottom couples
the throwing down the cushion us an ex-
cuse for kiss--the flight and pursuit and
Joyous action of the whole of the dancers,
These dances dwell in the memory
of the old-a DISTINGUISHING race
land make their youth n happy time to re-
call viii our waltzes and galops do rs
much for US? Should you be spared into old
age, what impressions shall you preserve of
the dances you have danced In your youth
Where be the old heartncss, the merry,
spontaneous laugh, the admirable dccorum
the calm grace, lhe keen enjoyment? Ahck
the cushion dance has become the dance OF
death. When we grow old we shall have to
angle for bright rccollections of our youth in
other wells tban where our ballroom eype-
riences lie sunk.
Perhaps the only old.fashioned dance that
survives is tho cotillion. This dance Is full Of
Spanish grace. In South America they in
troduce some odd tricks into their dancing.
Ladies fill empty egg shells with eau de CO.
logne and carry them to the ball. There
they break them upon the heads Of the gen
tlemen. It is meant as a challenge. The
gentleman who receives this moist tribute is |
bound in gallan,ry TO find out the |
lady and return the compliment. Another |
trick is for young man to 50 behind q girl, |
place his sombrero directly over her head |
letting it fall over her eyes, and then to
spring back among the dancers. If the girl |
throws off the hat il means that she can dis
pense with any attention the gentleman
would like to pay her, and he is obliged to
pick up his hat amid general laugh,
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 a
chair, the seating of lady, the presentation
of gentleman the blindfolding of gen
tlemen, with lady on either side OF him, and
his hazardous choice of one of them as
partner, are distinctly Southern ee-
ments, giving graceful life and laughter to
the waltzing accompaniment. This sur
wives, but the other dances are ended
Whether they are worth reviving or not is n
question for girls to decide. At all events,
one may believe that girl could never look
more picturesque than when engaged in one
of these old fashioned dances, just as it is GER
tain that girl is never seen to worse advan-
tage than when she has released herself from |
the grip of man, after long, painting and
prespiring waltz, as this dance is now per-
formed.