The times., 1898-07-06
DANCES OF DIFFERENT ERAs.
Once Religious Service, They Now
DetOken Worldly Pleasure.
(rrnm the philadelnhia Times

DctORen
(From the Philadelphia Tmes.)
The character of the ancient dance was
very different from that of ours. as ap
pears from the conduct of Miriam, who
took timbrel In her hand, and all the
women went out after her with timbrels
and with dances" Precisely similar is
the Oriental dance of the present day,
which. of course, accompanied with
music is led by the principal person
of the company, the rest initiating the
steps. The evolutions as well as the songs
are extemporaneous-not confined TO a
fixed rule, but varied at the pleasure of
the leading dancer-and yet they are gen.
orally executed with SO much grace, and
the time so well kept with the simple
notes of the music that the group of at
tendants show wonderful address and
propriety in following the variations of
the leaders feet.
AT very early period dancing was en-
listed into the service OF religion. Among
the heather the dance, enlivened by vo-
cal and instrumental music was usual
accompaniment In all the professions and
festivals of the gods; and, indeed, so in
diSpensable was this species of violent
merriment that no ceremonial was con-
sidered duly accomplished. no triumph
rightly celebrated, without the aid of
dancing.
The Hebrews, in common with other
nations, had their sacred dances, which
were performed on their solemn anhi-
versaries and other occasions of COM
memorating some special token of the
divine goodness and favor as means of
drawing forth. in the liveliest manner
their expressions of joy and thanksgiy-
ing. The performers were usually a band
of females, who, in case of public rejoic-
ing, volunteered their services, and who.
in the case of religious observations.
composed the regular chorus of the tenn
pie, although there are not wanting in
stances of men also joining in the dance
on these seasons of religious festivities.
Thus David deemed it no way derogatory
to his royal dignity to dance on the au-
spicious occasion of the Ark bein-
brought up to Jerusalem. His conduct
was initiated by the later Jews, and the
dance incorporated among the favorite
usages as an appropriate close of the
joyous occasion OF the Feast of Taberna-
cles.
From being exclusively, or at least
principally, reserved for occasions of re-
ligious worship and festivity. dancing be-
came gradually to be practiced in COM
mon life on any remarkable season of
mirth and rejoicing. In early times, in
deed, those who perverted the exercise
from sacred use 10 purposes of amuse-
nous, and hence job introduces II as
distinguishing feature in the character of
the ungodly rich that they encouraged
taste for dancing in their families. Dur
ing the classic ages of Greece and Rome
society underwent a complete revolution
of sentiment on the subject of dancing
tnsomuch that not only al Rome but
through all the provinces Of the empire,
ii was a fayorite pastime. resorted TO not
1.r,1,r zt,fFx h. cY11I,,.
tion of domestic joy.
Notwithstanding, however, the strong
partially cherished for this inspiring
amusement, il was considered beneath the
dignity of persons of rank and character
TO practice il. The weIl-known words of
Cicero that no one dances unless he is
either drunk or mad" express the pre-
vailing sense as 10 the improperly of re-
spectacle individuals taking part in it,
and hence the gay circles OF Rome and its
provinces derived all their entertainment,
as IS done in the East to this day. from
the exhibitions of professional dancers.
Amateur dancing in high life was by no
means uncommon in the voluptuous times
of the later emperors But in the age of
Herod it was exceedingly rare and almost
unheard of, and. therefore the conde-
scension of Silome, who volunteered, in
honor of the anniversary of that mon
person as she led the may dance in the
salon of Machaerus-for, though she
was child at this time, as some suppose,
she was still a princess-was felt 10 be
compliment that merted the highest re-
ward. The folly and rashness of Herod
in giving her an unlimited promise, great
as they were, have been equaled and
even surpassed by the munificence which
many other Eastern monarchs have Law
fShed an fayor{fo dancers ? remains a
notice further that the Jewish dance was
performed by the sexes separately There
is no evidence from the sacred history
that the diversion was promiscuously en-
yoyed, except il might be a the erection
of the deified calf, when, in imitation of
the Egyptian festival of Apis. all classes
of the Hebrews intermingled in the fran
tic revelry. In the sacred dances, al
though both sexes seem to have fire.
quently borne a part in the procession of
chorus, they remained in distinct and
separate companies.