The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-18
REVIVAL OF THE M1NuET.
Announced rs the Popular Dance Of
the Winter.

the Winter.
When the National Dancing Masters met
in annual convention in New York the
past summer they determined to resurrect
the old and stately minuet as means
of restoring interest in dancing which is
no longer as graceful nor-to the
teacher-as lucrative an art as in the
olden days.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the
minuet is a graceful and digniiled dance;
that il does not give opportunity Tor the
exercise of the round dance is rather TO
its credit than otherwise. The evolution
of the waltz into the two-step has accen-
tuated its tendency to jerking, ungracs-
full step and rapidity, both of which
have harmed the dance in so far as beauty
is concerned. Then. too, the round dance
has outgrown its popularity of so many
years; dancers have tired of it and have
accepted it only as the inevitable Until
some novelty should appear to take its
place on the programme of the fashion,
able ball.
The minuet is not a new dance. Far
from that. it is so old that many children
have learned its evoiutions as among the
fancy dances which are taught to al
children. AT fancy dress balls it has
often been feature of the evening. one
set having been arranged and trained be-
forohand for it, II has. however, never
been a part of the regular programme.
Indeed, it is doubtful whether it will be
for some years to come. for the minuet
is not dance one can learn by on-look
ing but requires regular course of in
struction and much practice. 1t is a
graceful dance IL gracefully done. but it
is likewise a most ungainly spectacle
when performed by the untutored. A
series of poses. it requires the inost
careful instruction if well done, and ii
not well done il would better be left IN
done.
For this as we'll as other reasons 1t
would seem to be but the fad of the ul-
Questionable. who are constantly in
quest of novelty. And as such it will be
short-Iived, for it will soon prove firing.
Unlike the waltz. n minuet requires an
amount of preparation ard certain scenic
arrangements.
1t cannot be danced anywhere, under
any circumstances, and at any time. To
be satisfactorily done il must be we'll
done. Like play 1t must be happily
costumed and well staged.
How would woman in silk waist and
black cloth skirt appear in a minuet? How
would her partner appear in business
suit? The dresses Of today are very much
more old-fashioned than we're those OF
to the costumes of the minuet days. Gay
costumes and handsome dresses made the
minuet one of the most charming specta-
cles of early day life. The colors chosen
by the men were no more modest than
were those of the women. Silks and sat !
ms were not too fine for a gentleman's
minuet costume. and there could not be |
too many laces and puffs TO bedeck gen. |
tlewcman. |
Will black dress suit and stiff white |
shirt conform to the graceful postures OF |
the minuet? Will lowcut vest permit |
of much arm-waving and pirouetting? So |
ciety men of today will agree against 1t. |
The evening costume of women might |
adapt itself more gracefully to the re-
quirements of the dance. 1t is a more !
carefully fitted garment than was worn in |
the early day and it might rebel against |
too much twisting. but 1t would still en- |
dure the ordeal. There is, however. |
popular opinion concerning the costume |
which should be worn with the minuet. /
and this opinion favors that which was
worn when the dance was popular. The |
fancy dress ball always calls them forth In |
greater or less numbers, but the fancy |
dress ball is not every ball, and every ball |
could not consistently be made fancy |
dress affair. How, then, separate the cos
tune from the dance and still retain the
charm of the former?