Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1883-01-19
DANCING WITH VIM IN 1T.
Country Walt zsrs Who Lack Grace
But Who Refuse to Lope Lszlly.
lingt n Iett.r n the Troy Tines.

Burlingt tett,r n the Troy Tines.
Let us present ourselves at q gen.
uine country dance in Vormon. The
musicians have Just come in and taken
the seats prov,doi for them on a
slightly raised platform at ono end of
the long hall About fifty or sixty
Couples" of young people arc scat.
tered about through the hall, some III
merry groups talking, others, more
bashful, cir ging to each others arms,
aud waiting in silence for tho
music to strike up. After the
usual prelude az hhrillipg and
footing the leader e the little urcaes.
ira mods to the floor manager, who
promptly steps forward and shouts,
sc lntlemep, please take partners
for" as the cance may be If it ia
q waltz The expectant swain awk ward
ly aud blushingly encircles the fair
one with his arm and begins to swinr,
with a sort of rythmic apology fol
the prematureness of tho emb ace
She timidly places her hand il
his, and uuduiates slightly In
sympathy with his impatience
At last tho leader of the orchestrt
looks significantly around his littl,
band of artiSts, mods his head upor
his violin, draws his bow with an om
phatic gesture and the music strikes
up. About half the couples in tbs
room have caught the rhythm Of tn,
music; the others swing hopelessl,
round, changing step and bumpinj
Into assh other. till someth';g = like
conglomerated deadlock ems uss in on,
part of the room, and the dancer,
composing it disengsge Themselves
and wonder away with many blushel
to a more open space, where
they try it again. Nobody seem.
to notice the little by.p'ay. All
arc dancing, or trying to dance, and
have enough to do o attend to their
owns motions. Here is couple,
neither of whom know how to waltz
or have the slightest idea of the m sgic
power of the rhythm; but that does
not secm to disturb them In the least.
Round and round they swing, execut,
ing the simplest kind f circle with
endless repetition. Presently they
both grow SO dizzy that, they stagge,
against the wall and atsnd there pant
log, and persp'ring till their equili
brlum and their breath is recovered,
whom they launch upon q new serie,
of revolutions.
But there are plenty of good dancers
on the floor whom 1t is a pleasure tc
watch. They do not adop. tae limp
",thetical attitude and lazy lope of the
fashionable city waltzsr, but go whirl.
ing down the floor at q good lively
pace and, even where the crowd d
thickest, oarom from couple to couple
like billiard balls. The young lady
does not lay her cheek sffsctionately )
on the young gentlemsn's shoulder
nor stretch out her lilly arm anc
feathered fan in the direction of the
Polar star, where 1t meets her part
ner's at an equally inconvenient
and ridiculous altitude, but sh,
dances In natural position, slightly
inclined forward and supported by hel
partners arm, while one hand restl
firmly on his shoulder and the other il
clasped 81 als dlsengaged hand. There
is a rpring and spirit, an endurance
AID evident enjoyment about these
country dances which you will look
for in vain In the enervatiug and per
fumed air Of the fashionable salon
These young people will dance al
nigh long and be ready for another
ball the next night.