Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-05-10
la the Land of the Msgyar..

Tho following Is from Magyar Land
1t was a pretty soene; the rapid move
msnts of The dancers in the gay costn
mes, the picturesque background Of
low sheds covered with the largo round
leaves of the melon, its tondrils hang
ing in graceful festoons, and its colder
fruit resting on the thatch. We might
have been witnessing Spanish sara
band. The Hungarians dance for theil
very lives. To them the practice oi
the terpsichorean art IS no more lang
uid and graceful untinla ion of the fig
ure, but perfect wild abandon of mirtl
and they whirl, and spin, and gyrate
with the velocity of dervishes until theil
long black locks stand out straight and
their faces are ablazs with heat ami ex.
citement. Watch them as they perform
the csardas-their national dance-to
the strange wild harmony OF the ezlga-
nok! Watch them as they balance
themselves backward and forward while
adapting their subtle movements to the
measure of the animating strains! The
csardas is essentially pantomimic and
describes by mute action the unquist
''course of true love-" The music is at
first slow, and the couples walk up and
down the room together in a stately
manner. then, affecting to have made
each others acquaintance and fallen
victims to the tender passion, the mu-
sic grows more lively; and, ''the court
ship begins IN earnest. The lover
advances towards his inamorata, she
coyly responds, and they spin round
together for few s: conds, when, as if
thinking she had given him too much
encouragement, the maiden retires pod
ting, whereupon he again approaches,
but this time she turns her back on him
and dances Off in a contrary direction,
Following, her, however, he overtakes
and seizes her round the waist, and
away they go again whirling deliciously
until sne manages to extricate herself
from his grasp. Shy and friendly by
turns, now encouraging her partner and
now retreating with offended dignity,
the lover at length becomes chagr1ned
at her eaprices, turns his back upon her
and they dance dos dos for q while,
with indignant gestures, till the maid,
with signs OF repentance, seeks reeonci-
llation. The music grows faster and
faster, tine lovers, in the ecstasy of re-
union, wllirl and twirl madly, nor do
they stop until both are quite giddy and
out of breath. when, retiring from the
scene, another couple take their places
and the performance begins again. The
csardas, of course, varies slightly in
each instance, according to the locality
and spirit of the dancers, but the subject
the same--love, courtship,
jealousy, disappointment, reunion, and
happiness "ever after" Sometimes in
the closing scene, it winds up by the
lover throwing himself on his knees
before his mistress whlle she dances
around MIN in token of har complete
triumph Several couples are always
occupied at The same time In this dance
in one phase or another of the would De
courtship, while the mems hats deco
rated with fresh flowers, the women got
up in the most coquettish and pictur-
esque costumes Imaginable, the tramp
Ing of feet, clashing of spurs, and wildly
exciting strains of the gypsies as they
saw away madly at their violins, all
combine in rendering the csardas most
and anImating spectacle.
Nor is it danced only by the peasants.
1t is seen IN the ballroom of the mobiles,
even at the capital, where gypsy band
is always summoned to accompany it.