Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-24

came very popular
They were voted "slow."
This was several years ago, and now
Queen Fashion comes forward with another
novelty in the dance line. 1t has number
of names. For instance, you may call it
quadrille pose, or posture dance, or, If these
names don't suit you, you may speak OF it
as the Spanish jig. tits hardly worth while
to 60 into elaborate description of the
figures, since they are varied greatly on every
occasion, the leader and partner setting the
example, and the other couples following
suit. Substantially it is a revival of the
old, old minuet, with trife of enliven-
ment, and occasionally a suggestion Of a
Maypole dance or a Virginia reel Of
course, much depends on the caprice, tenn
per and resources of the leader, as in a ger
man. The quadrille pose is said to have
been dance in vogue among the peasants
of Brittany in the sixteenth century. There
are eight figures altogether, and dances and
cavaliers keep well apart, barely joining
the tips of the fingers. Four couples are
needed for this dance, which, when well
executed, affords both bellies and beaux an
opportunity to display any native or &C
quired grace.
Simplicity the Dress Motto.
It is pretty fashion for. the ladies who
take part In the quadrille pose to dress la
sweet simplicity, with the skirts rather
short to show pretty slippers The waist
of the dress is cut la vierge, moderately
decollete, either sleeveless or with the old
fashioned puffed sleeve, ending at the ell
bow. The hair, too, must be quantity and
picturesquely dressed; the gentlemen may
also be attired in somewhat picturesque
fashion-the sixteenth century style for in
stance.
There is q revival of an old dance called
the passe-pied de la refine. This was
French country dance in great favor at the
French court during the last century, and
even earlier. The dance is bright and
lively one, often danced now in France,
having been adapted to modern require
Opera House. The opera hat and fan play
important parts in the passe-pied, in one
figure The fan is held between the Joined
hands of the partners like flag or a
plume; fluffy, rather long ostrich fan is
most appropriate and effective. There are
eight figures in this dance.
Delarnes, a Swedish national country
dance, has been tried upon different occa-
sions of late. The movements include some
very intricate figures and half dozen
tableaux and groupings. The dancers
should wear Swedish peasant costumes of
gay colors.
One Of the Prettiest Out.
L'Avenir is q rather new dance, which is
a combination of the schottische, waltz and
galop steps together, with step unlike
any of the dances now in vogue. The music
to which it is danced is very gay and
sprightly, the movement picturesque and
pleasing, and the effect of room full of.
people dancing it is enchanting. 1t COM
mences with a schottische step, the music
quickens to galop, and again as quickly
slows to stately measure resembling the
minuet, only that it is little more vi
vacious. Tine last step is the intricate
L'Avenir itself, and is like nothing so much
as waltz danced in quickstep time, if such
thing were possible.
AS the various figures come and go the
gentleman puts his arm about the lady's
waist as in ordinary round dances, holds
her left hand in his right as they trip for
ward side by side, both facing in the same
direction, with smooth, gliding step in
their progress to the galop, which is
feature of the dance.
London newspapers chronicle, as an inter-
esting bit of social news, that the "fashion-
ables are smiling again" on the dance that
was at the height of popularity there half
century ago-the polka. As danced to-day,
the polka has pleasing variety in its move
ments, a perfect sympathy with the music and
an entire absence of the trying monotony that
made the old polka torture to the dancer.
As it stands, the rehabilitated polka is ex-
quisite and incapable of further improve
ment, and, like the waltz, it possesses an in
trinsic beauty.
The skirts In the Minuet
As to the minuet, the first thing that a
lady has to learn about this graceful and
dignified dance, so professor tells me, is to
hold the skirts of her dress. In the begin |
ming of the minuet she must take her skirt |
with both hands, just clutching bit of the |
garment with the tips of the fingers, and |
raise it from the floor about as high as the |
tips of her boots Then standing squarely |
upon both feet she is in the first attitude of |
the minuet.
Following that comes the courtesy, which
is a most difficult accomplishment This
is made by drawing the right foot back and
placing the toe upon the floor and bending
the whole weight of body back upon it, and
keeping the lett foot square down upon the
floor. The lady should sink her
'elf as far as possible without losing
ner balance. As she goes down,
.he heel of the left foot may come slowly off
rom the floor, but the heel of the right foot
must not touch it. In the movement, the
ady must not take her hands from her
'kirts, and her head should not droop down.
The movement must be made very slowly
md the recovery executed with equal de-
liberation. Mrs. Arthur M. Dodge, by the
way, dances tie minuet more perfectly and
York
For children, the "Fairy of the Ferns" is
pretty dance, in which flowers form an
part Fascination is also a
lainty little dance, done in three-fourths