The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-11
LEADING A COTILLON.
Some New and Pleasing Figures OF n
Popular Dance.

1t is the famous but frivolous Mime.
de Montespan we have to thank for our
enormously named german. While rid
ing one day on the outskirts of Paris
she saw a crowd of country people cele-
brating a fete with many quaint dances.
Impressed by the originality of some Of
them. on her return TO court she pro-
ceeded to teach some of her ladies. The
romping nature of the games pleased
the gay women, and as Louis XIV look
ed with favor on any innovation suggest
ed by his favorite his courtiers were
not long in expressing their admiration.
There was only one drawback. The
court gowns with their long burden
some trains retarded the sport Of the
dance. so Nine. de Montespan calmly
detached her train from her cotillOn or
petticoat. 1t is from this incident the
dance received its name.
For a drawing-room of ordinary size
not more than twenty-four couples should
dance the cotillon. At the end Of the
room have two tables to place the
favors upon. For the forbidden fruit"
figure have a goOd-sized hoop hung about
six and one-half feet from the floor. To
this different favors may be tied; for the
fool figure a wastebasl<et and eight
gOod-SiZed rubber balls. For the two
INLAND eight pairs of children's horse
reins are necessary. \ sheet for over
the Garden WALL and eight scarfs of
gauze for the scarf figure complete
the properties. For the ordinary favor
figures. naturally any amount of favors
may be supplied.
After the twenty-four couples are
seated around the sides of the room. the
leader viii bid the first eight couples
dance waltz. At his signal each couple
separate. each lady taking a favor for
a gentleman, and presenting it to one
she desires for a partner. The men do
likewise. 1t is generally best to open
with favor figure.
The scarf figure is danced by eight
couples. Eight scarfs are given to as
many men, who present them to the Ia
dies they wish to dance with. After a
waltz the leader has the women form a
circle. with a circle Of men on the out
side. with the scarfs serving as links.
each circle rotating in an opposite direc-
tion. At the leaders signal both circles
stop. each man throwing his scarf over
the woman i'm front of him. securing her
as Il partner for the two step which fol-
lows. The men face the women the
distance Of the scarf, which is held high
above their heads. Each couple in turn
goes under the seven remaining scarfs
This is followed by a waltz.
The sheet figure is danced by eight
couples 4 large-siZed sheet is held by
the leader and some other man. taken
from the eight couples. The eight wom-
en- go on one side of the sheet and put
the tips of the fingers of one hand above
the top of the sheet, which are hastily
secured by the seven men on the op-
posite side. The sheet is then with
drawn. and each man dances with the
lady he has secured. The remaining
lady dances with the man who has held
the sheet
1t Is we'll to have another favor figure
r.,I1.
which is called the fool figure. Eight
couples nre needed TO dance this. Al
one end of the room a wastebasket is
placed At the other end eight men
stand in front of seven ladies. The
eighth lady sits in a chair with a fools
cap in her hand. The eight men, at
signal. try to put the rubber ball they
have been provided with into the waste
basket, then rush back and secure a
partner from among the ladies. The
man who fails to do this has the fools
cap placed upon his head and dances
with the lady in the chair
The "two-in-hand' is danced by four
couples. who separate, each lady secur-
ing two gentlemen, whom she harnesses
with her reins. Each Of the original
men does the same the lady taking a
gentleman from one of her pair-and
the men a lady a partner for the two
step which finishes the figure. Then
comes another favor figure. The for
hidden fruit is danced by eight men,
who have to jump for the favors hung
on the hoop and then give them to a
partner for waltz.
Favors afford an extensive range of
choice-for the men, boutonnieres, PEN
ellis, umbrella clasps, penholders, cigar
cutters, etc. and for the women fans.
flowers, bonbons, pins-in fact. anything
may be given while an inexpensive
cOtillon may be given by supplying
japanese faVors of all sorts.
MAUD JAMES CHELTON.