The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-02-01
fERPsrcHoREAN PERFORMANCES.

n
fERPsIcHoREAN PERFORMANCES
Strange Ceremonies ait Home ant
Abroad.
eOf the dances Of all times 1t may b,
said that they have always been assocl
ated with exuberant spirits, and thiI
natural outburst Of bodily activity, thinks
the Boston Globe, may be attributed t.
either the excitement of the fight, OF thu
chase, or Of q religious ceremony, OF
to excessive delight. The Indians hav,
long been famous for their war dances
one of the most exciting of which Is that
praoticed by the Sioux, and representing
by pantomimic actions the attack upon
and massacre of the Inhabitants Of the
neighboring village. The Cheyennes, too,
execute somewhat similar dance, the
difference being that the attitudes
through which they pass are supposed to
describe a horse stealing raid. The Turk
Is never so happy as when he Is prancing
aNout and fiourlshing his sword or gun,
and 1t BODIES no good for the Turkish au-
ithorities when q number of the people OF
Albania, Montenegro or Herzegovina
break out into O. war dance When this
occurs steps are always Immediately
taken to suppress their buoyant spirits
for fear the agitation would spsSad
throughout the country. There are a
number of dances OF the red Indians
which, though regarded as perfectly se-
rlous by the performers themselves. and
ha nf frfh oh alx
ridiculous to the civilized onlookers. The
buffalo dance, for instance. is supposed
to represent grand hunt. One OF the
braves fixes the skull and horns of a
buffalo on his head and skips about as
the others try to catch him, dancing the
while.
Then there is the snake dance of the
Apaches and Cheyennes, the rain dance OF
the Blackfeet. and the ghost dance, which
was the main cause of the Indian rising In
the Northwest a year or two ago.
On the occasion of a young Sioux being
into the ranks of the braves a
sun dance Is executed, during which the
newcomer under goes the most frightful
4 warrior. Notwithstanding the rapid ad-
vance of civilization in Australia, the alb
originals still continue to perform q kan
CARGO dance, In which the chase OF that
lrimal Is accurately depicted from the
start to the finish by means of dumb
show. The hare dance of Siberia and the
,strich dance of Africa are eclipsed by
he one In which two Siamose fall upon
heir hands and knees and furiously at
.ack each other, fully convinced for the
time being that they are elephants, while
he onlookers dance around. The Hin
ioos accompany nearly every religious
ceremony with furious dancing, and, in
'act, go absolutely out OF their minds on
Iome occasions The most notorious re-
igious fanatics, however, are the whirl-
ng Dervishes, the Mohammeden priests,
Who spin around on their feet for hours
t time without experiencing any in
urious effects. A scarcely less marvel |
,us dance, though one not Of a religious
nature, is that known as the egg dance,
performed by the young women OF Bho-
,al, India. Upon the head Of the dancer
>
rom the sides Of which at equal dis
ances apart, hang threads with slip |
Inots. In her hand she carries a basket /
II eggs, and her object Is to insert an egg
n each sliplxnot while the strings are ex-
ended out all around by means OF her
apld circular motion. This done, and the !
more delicate task OF returning the eggs
o her basket successfully completed, the
lance ends
REELS, TARANTELLAS, BOLEROS. !
Scotland may truthfully be said to have |
Produced the most unique OF all national |
ances, for while no trouble has been ex-
'erienced by the inhabitants In this and
ther countries in performing the quad
lilies Of Belgium, the Waltz Of Germany
nd the polka OF Hungary, there is no one
N earth who can dance the Scotch reel
With the ease and grace with which II is !
ccomrlIshed by the Highlander. Thy
ance which most nearly approaches It in
Is unique character Is the Italian taran- (
ella, which has attained notoriety more
" the widespread nature OF the legend
ttached to its origin tran by the actual
eatures OF the dance itself The story
uns that early in the fifteenth CEN
ury a superstition arose among the
Italians that whoever was bitten by a
arantua spider would go out Of his mind,
nd that the only certain cure for this
orm OF madness was constant and furi-
us dancing. As n matter Of fact the ta~
antella was dance first performed in
'aranto, hence its name. and from that
pot It spread all over Italy In a very
hort space OF time. The music was good.
ut the actions OF the dancers were sim-
iy those Of men AMI women in violent
tate OF frenzy. The national dance OF
pain "a the fandango. and that OF Poland
he polonaise. The Irishman claims the
Il for his personal delecfatlon, and the I.
renchran asserts that the mlnuet, the
ayored dance Of his forefathers, is sui
ithout a rival. England has no national
ance. unless We can call Sir Roger de
overly by that name. The earliest refer
nce TO dancing occurs IN the bible, in
ie Songs Of Miriam the prophecies, who
took q timbrel IN her hand. and ala the
omen went out after her With timbrels
I'd danced In the cariv chrietfan
iurches spaces were provided for dano-
), but the praetIce OF dancing during the
iryiee soon tel into disfavor and was
scontlnued.