The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-04-28
NEGROES ARE SPRY
Some Of the Queer Dances OF the
Southern Darky.
trtricscSes OF the Buck" and swing
Dances as Performeh BY the Nat
uraafTerprichorea ans Of tho
Plantation.

Before Sthe war, plantation Negro
who coulT not dance, q few steps o.
that oar1icuNarlY characteristic Ethio
pisn dance known as the 'buch
dance was very hard to find. 1t wa:
the pastiNe.ot old and young darlkies
alike, not oufWon the plantations and
ON the leveAs, but on the decks of the
steamers that piled the various rivers
of the south, aand at that time formed
almost the only mode of travel and
t,arsnortatiou. The buck dance, u
however. attain, I'd It's greatest perfec-
kion and enjoyed, its greatest popularity
on the plantation because there was
more leisure time granted slaves on
plantations than to those who were
empioved on the riA ers and steamboats,.
It was, says the Chic ago Herald, mat
ter of great surprise to the stranger
travelling through the south to see
with what precision AND versatility
very Young darkies exec uted the many
difficult steps that characte rize buck
and wing" dancing.
While the dance is one kdifhcult OF
execution. it has been Acquired by the
Jig and step dancers of the American
stage as far as the simple steps tiDem-
selves are concerned, but ii is inqsos-
sible for anyone but a negro to put
that distinctive personality into the
dance which makes it SO fascinating to
fhe beholder 1t is impossible to tell
how old the ''buck dance" is, or where
or when it originated. 1t is errone-
pusly stated that it was called the
"buck dance" because only men or
buck negroes indulged in it, but this
Is not the case. II derives the name OF
i''bucll dancing" from the fact that On
Che plantations it was customary for
one dancer to 'sbucl<'' or pit himself
against another. The contest was not
only one of endurance, but also in the
variety OF steps and contortions that
the dancer indulged Il.
The war and, consequent freedom OF
the ,negro in 10 wise iEterfered with
the 'sbuck dancing In fact, 1t is
more COMMON to-day in those districts
sn the south in which the negro popu-
astion dominates than ever before, a
fact that possibly may be accounted
for by reason of the very freedom Of
the negro and his disposition to do as
he pleases. It has ever been the
pleasure OF the darby TO dance, and as
a race he INDUCES in it now more than
ever On tine ioccasion of festive gath
erings where the darkies from various
piantaeionsthad-g gathered for dancing,
singing and, feasting, it was not an I'M
usual ssgilt to see several buck dane
Eng" contests going on at one time.
UsuaK y'two robust young darby boys
would be gin thelcontest. Upon signs of
fatigue OH the part OF either of these a
restlessnass would be observed among
a half-do1en' or more young darkies of
both sexel1, standing nearest to the
dancers, and urging them on to
greater effGrts by shouts, laughter,
calls for change of steps and different
steps. As soon as one of the dancers
gave evidence, of distress 'one of the
restless group that surrounded him
would jump into his place, force him
AWAY, and commence dancing with
might and main. keeping up or varying
the steps until the second of the
original couple tired out, when his
place would be Immediately taken by
either boy or ygirl, and SO on the
contest would continue for hours.
wing" dancing was mostly in
dulged In by bar efooted darl1ies, the
steps being of bounding nature and
not wearing, on the sole of the foot.
Another very popular dance in the
south among the darkies was Jump
sng Jim: Crow a dance that could be
indnlged in by the barefooted darby
without much danger to the soles Of
his feet 'Bucl1 dancing" is totally
different.
The shoes used are ordinary fat
bottoned shoes without heels, and the
entire foot must be kept on the floor.
in all the bewildering movements and
steps the patpat-pat of the dancer
feet must keep perfect time with the
music of the banjo. The names of the
various steps are curioals. He begins
with the rabbit hop" which brings
into play every muscle of his body as
he bends and hops without lifting his
feet from the ground. Then comes the
Johnny Bull" which is series of
slides and a heavy step to each bar of
music. That changes to rushing
step, with slip from the heel and a
perfect balance OF the body. Then
the Pass Malard." where he waves his
hands from the forearm and the left
foot drags, while the right seems to be
doing a lot of hard work.
He swings from that into Broken
Foot Charley" crazy sort of dance,
aud one foot twists around the other
without landing him on his back. as it
certainly would beginner. Break
lie chickens neck is the next change.
This is twist of ankle and OF knee, as
man twists q chickens neck. In go
way sugar, yo' done los yo' taste the
jig-Sand" represents sugar and Grant
pushes 1t and bursts away and by feet,
arms and face indicates dislike
Scratch ground" means walking and
reversing in time to the rapid music
In this he is ose-jointed from the
head down. Awake up, black man" is
wild dance. He swings around and
turns and twists like a cortortioniSt,
but never once loses his time: his
movements are swift and remarkabl
fer strength and grace. Only young
and powerful physique could stand the
strain.
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Iithla not-What kind of q L;ee "a +,