The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-17
TIE LIGHT FANTASTIC
And How it is Tripped at the Balls
of Zurich.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.
H.. o.

Quite as characteristic Of Zurich as its uni
versities, are the balls, which come in quick
succession through the winter, and receive
much more active discussion and widespread
attention throughout the community than the
humdrum course of university life claims for
itself
First, comes the acadesaical ball, then follow
the ball Of the German society, the See-club
ball, and bali for every Saturday of the whole
long winter. And n Zurich ball is quite as
strilsingly different from an American one, as
the Zurich University from the American in
stitution of the same name.
For an American, the surprises of Zurich
ball begin with the invitation, for this sug
gests terrible difficulties in the way of an ac-
ceptance, which. however, is de rigenr The
invitations complicated structure is as fol-
lows:
Highly honored Miss for sir): The ball CON-
mittee of the - society permits ITSELF you and
your worthy family to participation in Saturday.
the ---- evening, at o'clock, in the ----
hotel, taking place ball. to beseech.
With highest esteem,
The committee
Happily, the committee is polyglot and the
simple American formula is sufficient for ac-
ceptance written in straightforward English.
One point in the invitation is extremely inn
portant-namely, the hour; for the Swiss are
a punctual people, and if the invitation says
o'clock, it means o'clock, and the dancing
begins at 8 O'Clock; and the little books of
partners are filled by S o'clock, and woe betide
the luckless maiden who comes after 8 o'clock.
By a quarter past eight, such a tardy conner
finds the cloak-roon deserted, the attendants
beginning to grow drowsy, the duennas estab-
lished in the draughtless corners of the room
and well started in their evenings chat, and
the first dance quite half finished.
PRETTY SCENE
To come into a Zurich ball room during
dance, is to behold an extremely pretty scene.
The light is soft and free from glare the music
ians' corner is prettily decorated, the pretty
Swiss use of muslin curtains is skillfully ap-
piled, and the row of duennas presents such
kindly, friendly, interested faces as add greatly
to the CHEEKY effect OF the place and the COM
pany. But these are only subsidiary conditions;
the chief beauty, naturally is among the
dancers. There is nothing brilliant in the
coloring, nothing glazing; every young girl
wears delicate pink, or blue, or cream color, or
white, and the ornaments are of the simplest
and daintiest. The dresses are all short, show
ing slippers or dancing shoes some black, some
white, some bronze; and every dress is made
with low neck and short sleeves. showing,
usually, round necks and arms such as would
be hard to find in such numbers in America
Every dancer wears a slender necklace and
artificial flowers (which are exquisitely made
and very cheap here IL dress and hair. The
room is kept at SO pleasant a temperature that
there is slight fear of cold and that little is re-
moved by the deliberate promenade which fol-
lows every round dance. Round and round the
room goes the procession Of flushed and heated
dancers in Enthusiastically vigorous converse
ton, but at measured pace. On these oecas-
ions the masculine portion OF the company does
not present to the foreign eye so attractive an
appearance as friendly prejudice might desire;
for long, bushy hair, an extraordinary dispro-
ofa
spectacles), and a prevailing tendency to stoop-
ing shoulders do not contribute to an attractive
appearance in the ballroom. The Swiss and
German education is not successful in produc-
ing fine physiques. Swiss boys do not ride
and swim, and row and play cricket, and
coast and skate, as Well-brouglt-up English
and American lads do. Their life is ssdentary,
and their outdoor recreatibns are few and de-
fcctive. True, they have gymnastic training
in counection with eShssl life, but that is by
70 means sufficient TO r6anter ss&Nsse the long
school hours and defective play. Hence, in
the ballroom a tall, graceful Engishman or
American not only attracts a fair share of adj
| miration for himself, but throws the German
and Swiss youths about him into melancholy
contrast in point both OF stature and carriage.
The German or Swiss youth has usually two
physical accomplishments: he fences, for pur-
| poses of student dnelling, and he dances.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING.
The third surprise which Zurich ball pre-
! sents TO the untraveled American is the violent
| and prolonged nature of the dance. This pre-
| sents such continuous relentless revolution as
| there is rarely opportunity to behold in Amer
| lea. The little book or partners offers fifteen
| dances all very long and all performed in a
methodical circulation around the ball room,
| the whole company avoiding the middle of the
| room. Then, too, there are five dances thrown
| IN from time to time. And such dances, such
| whlrlIng, and hopping, and spinning, and
/ humping, so prolonged, so sereney conducted,
SO calmly emerged front The surprise OF that
| phenomenon does not wear CIT for days after
ward. Every young woman expects to dance
every dance, and allIof it. She begins early,
| she continues conscientiously, and she shows
no signs of wear at the end If her partner
! hurls her against the whirling elbow of an on
coming dancer, he says, Pardonip with tone
| OF deep contrition, and receives a like blow in
/ the next instant himself--a blow so violent
| as to enrage dancer OF less patient race. But
those are episodes to which the Zurich maiden
| is accustomed from the dancing-sehool of her
early childhood, and they have no power to
disturb her. For, never having known the
advantage of the quiet American waltz and the
security of skillful reversing, she accepts fire.
| quent Dumpings and otherwise unbroken spin
| ming as inevitable accom- anments of an even
| ing's pleasure.
/ FROM o O'CLOCK until IL the ballroom is
either a vortex in which each separate atom
/ revolves upon an axis of its own, constantly
| and violently shifting the same, to its own
| great danger and the danger of every other
/ whirling atom or the floor is cleared, except SO
/ far as il is needed for the slow movement OF q
| compact procession OF the. dancers of the pre-
| ceding dance.
| A SUBSTANTIAL SUPPER.
/ At IL there is sudden and complete change
Supper is formally announced, and the entire
| company of dancers yanishes swiftly away
/ The row of duennas remains unbroken until
the last dancer vanishes; then the flock rises
and, without wasting o moment in lowering
| it follows swiftly after. Meanwhile the dancers
have seated themselves, and all the tables ara
occupied save one. Around this one the black.
clad flock settles down with beaming, expect
ant faces and much friendly chat. The tables
are ornamented as if for a dinner, and such
the supper of a Zurich ball in truth is. Bouil
Ion, pastry, roast beef and vegetables, two kinds
| OF light wine, made dish of a mysterious
nature, and closing course of ices ali served
and eaten with great deliberation, amid pro
| longed conversation is the supper as
consumed at midnight. When the ices arr
disposed of, bon bons are handed, and a great
swapping and cracking follows all over the
room, as though q children's party had sud
denly developed. Somewhat after II the
duennas rise and make in good order the little
journey back to their posts Of duty; the dancers
| follow in struggling order, the music strikes
| up fine waltz, and the room having beer
| ventilated and chilled during the sumner ho,ri