The sun., 1881-04-24
TnK BAsH1oNABLE DANCES OF 1854.


TO vary the mQnotony OF their wall nower exist
enco failed. # was danced however with more |
then laid on the shelf until tho summer when il
Will be y fayorlto dance at Watering places: The |
held for forty years the tirst place among tho
round dances. The beautiful music of Strauss.
tho truly 1 1graceial step % and motion. are v 70
on the world since. The various steps
waltz, the glide waltz. the redowa waltz and the
waltz proper; ali are beautiful. There are.
are occasionally danced by people dcsirous OF
notortety at public balls. which should be
Boston Dip. the Racket % and m the he" society. These
exaggerated forms OF the beautiful waltz move
mont gre not taught by the best dancing mas;
such style of dancing prevail. dancing must
20, down. It's enemies would have unanswer-
tionql. cxaggerated; one might easiy use a
harsher term; The dance OF society should be
,Gose, dancers who copy the excessos OF tho Bal
Mabille or indulge in theatrical poses are in
iay2r ,S neither Ia Europe nor In America
ingy graceful 1t has. too the much needed
S%Ia 9t 9hty Ta%Ht iS i is
up the Patriarehs, balls. the i. G. b. g. and the
superb private balls OF this winter IL cpinbines
much Of that Viking force and rerce which one
admires in the dancing OF Swedes; Danes. and
ing; It is quick and lively without being rowdy.
4 handsome. tall, slender young couple in the
galop recall the graceful visions OF the Greek
freze; there is poetry and romance in the sight.
The fair Atalanta skins DER tho plain of tho
ballroom with freshness which recalls the
morning OF the world
form NJ Of the waltz It is IS composed Of step
only danced to the viii Polish mazourka music.
but Is now adapted to the trots temps. There is
It. softened by the elegance Of Yiennese salon;
Its step is technically indicated as jete. 0itsSs
and a coupe dessous. The feet are. however.
The Glide Waltz is a slight. frail eyaggera-
very slightly exaggerated. 1t. however. has met
with much favor. and Is the best and original
The Polka is never danced in ballroom by
| well-bred people. 1t is occasionally, with its
hee -and-toe accompaniment. danced in the
| parlor, after Christmas tree or Easter egg
| party. by family circle well known to each
other. but it would be vulgar in public. r,
The German Cotillon. or. TO usn its French
name. the Cotion. began in Vienna forty
years ago. and was for q time kent sacred to tho
| ls now, as then the aristocrat Of the ballroom;
| Every bail OF fashionable prestige has ended
winter, attempted to do without it on account OF
| its disadvantages. which are. in the first place.
the trouble of getting II up, and secondly. the
out Of the Gsrman lose their dance
and the dangers OF uncongenial partner
| ship; still greater, the intoerabe expense.
| now rendered almost inevitable. growing out OF
the fact that tho iavors Tor the German. once
| consisting Of flowers ribbons and bits OF tin
| sci. are now made by certain opulent hostesscs
| to consist Of gold horseshoe and mouse and
| pig scarf pins silver and gold bangles. gold
nns aud pencil cases. fans and cordeHeres.
msr OF 1879. at which the favors cost $1,000.
| This is. OF course, Impossible to most enter
| taners; therefore II has been sometimes omit
ted. But the advantages OF tho favorite dance
| are manifold. and it has prevaed az the large
lalls. such as the Patrarchs'. the F. c. d. c. and
| at the more fashionable private houses.
To give a German. tho hostess should send
out her invitations two weeks in advance. She
| should cover her pnrlor carpets with crash. or
| il she has a parquet floor. tdHt iaieuL: she must
have all the furniture removed and place camp
! stools around the room III phaianxes. The
business OF choosing leader is little less oner-
Gus than the choice OF president or general.
nerve. and be fertile in resource. On his ability
| and his impartalty does tho happiness OF his
company depend. At the large balls gentlemen
tic chairs together with their handkerchicis for
themselves and partners. thus putting in pre-
emption claim which Is never disregarded. The
from i .I two 10 ioar hours. lis variety Of igures
is enormous eighty seven being recorded in
one manual. called the Prompter. The music
should be fu and for Il large ba two bands are
necessary. For small paror German piano
and violin are all that is necessary. In the
middle OF the German not boullou is served to
the dancers aud second supper awaits them
Some of the figures strive to recall that grace
full and beautiful minuet OF tue last century
whose initial ana terminating BOWS nave beru
spoken OF 10y Bur as typiiying that gener-
ous loyalty to rank and Sex, that proud subinis-
sion. that dicnifed Obedience" which makes
men fascinating and women graceful Again.
some figures have the wild grace Of the Magyar.
the military air OF the camp, the descainpa,
two" OF Marie Antoinette. the stately pavane -
OF Queen Elizabeth. 1t is the cong onlerate Of
all ages Il Is the apotheosis OF the dance. , ,
=, One OF the ppeitest q hiuIes Is that called .,
prepared flowers are arranged on II table. where
the leader has placed Them. The first couple
The gentleman takes n bouquet and the lady a
boutonnere. They now sc.ect new partners.
to whom they present the bouquet ami bouton-
Mere. the lady attaching the boutonnitre TO tho
gentleman 3 coat. They perform tour de raise
with their new partners. winch is repeated hy
substituted Tor flowers. ana nt the grand Ger
mans tho leader brings IN IN immense
which has become SO fashionable. and
these take the places OF the flowcrs. Other and
simpler favors. such NJ little bells. roseites.
miniature flags. stars. urtlll 'a butterflies.
badges sashss. bonhons Sr take the place Of
the ioolishiy expensive J"weIry. Another pretty
figure is called The Mirror. 1ns rst couple
perform tour de RAISE. Tue gentleman seats
the ady upou cnnir in the centre OF the room.
and presents her with u sinRl. mirror. HE
leader tncu selects n gentleman from the circle
ana conducts him behlnd her CHAIR. The lady
looks IN tha mirror. and II she declines tho part
ner offered, by turning tho mirror over or shhk-
ing her head. the leader continues To oner part
| n"rs until the lady Rcccuts. Inc Eentiemen re-
iusai return TO thelr seats or select partners
and JOIN in the dance.
The serpent Is also n ihNorlte anu very
graceful figure. The first couple waltz round,
nni tho .'nlrngn leaves hls partner IN the
cOrnero' the room, her face turned toward the
wall. and then OrIuGs three Or luur ladies' whom
he places behind ms own lady. leaving proper
distance between th"m. lie then chooses an
equal number o. gentlemen lhlmse.t Included
with whom no forms u loose chain, aud LEADS
them rapidly III a sorpeutlne course between
the Indies. until he reacnrS his partner, when
he caps hIs Annus. aud each gentleman dances
with the lady in front OF him.
The kHirIdOsrOp" is another very pretty
figure. Tho first four couples waltz round
then form as IN II qutdrllIc. The next four
couples in order thte positions behlhd thu
first four couples. oacn OF the latter couples
facing The same rs tho couples IA lf"nt. AT Il
signal from the leader the Indies o. IN" inncT
couples cross right hands. move entirely round
Anu turn iuto p.dcos uy giving lett hands IL
their partners; at tho sans time tha outer
couples watZ uall round. At another sgnnl the
inner couples waltz cntrov round. anu liulSll
facing onward. NJ the same tin" the uutpl
couples GhGSSt crOtSr. aud turn at corners WIN
right hands. then dc shGSSe aud turn partners
with left hands lycryhody wnilHrs then WIKI
his or her rIS-i-riS, ANA SO on dG H.huduih.
1t will OU Soen that the German II dhnct ol
infinite variety. Gud u .rad"r OF uriElna' mlhd
constructs new hluras constantly. Inc wa.i@
the ga,op. and Iue redOwa are tld only steps
tolerated in IT, sAccpt ,he slow WaiA ia tlt
quadrl,la figures ami tho stately iuarch, th'