The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-02-10

duC- lHueeu- Inc entire hecN. were
used Gle irly 70 express many emo
tions. In honor of their dead. the
dances were slow and gliding. buI 20
joys there were dances of the livelieSt
character. Among the higher classes
dancing was not common, except as
a religious exercise. The social ele-
ment was, therefore, lacking in the
Egyptian dances. 1t was. for the
most part, a religious ceremony. In
Greece dancing early became q fine
art. The Greeks were more nearly
physically perfect than any other
people. ancient or modern. They
were the physical Pharisees of the
ancient world. With them dancing
ranked with poetry and music as a
fine art. They made dancing ex-
pressive OF profound ideas; they
made pantomime voiceful The
dance of the Eumenides or Furies
created such terror that the specta-
tors believed these dreaded deities
were about TO inliict vengeance on
the earth. In Pindar. Apollo is cali
ed 1.-The dancer" In famous Greek
line, Jupiter is represented in the act
OF dancing. The Spartans obliged
parents 70 train their children in
dancing after they had reached the
age of FIVE. The Greeks introduced
into dancing an element of gayeJy
utterly unknown TO Oriental nations.
At the first their dance was entirely
religious. but later il was deemed an
important part OF physical educa-
ton.
There were but few dances among
the Romans. Sedate Romans in the
earlier times considered il diSgraceful
for free citizens 10 dance. Their war
dances were performed by priests Of
Mars; but most OF the dances in pri-
vate society were performed by pro-
fessional dancers. There was q MAY
day dance, which corresponded 70
the flower dance OF the Greeks. II
was really the original of the old
English Nay-day sports The words
OF Cicero have often been quoted
when he declared that no one danced
but one who was intoxicated or in
sane; but this remark could not have
had any broad application TO the
Roman people. In the time of Au-
gustus the dance became a part of
the entertainment in theaterS. Under
Nero. as was TO be expected. dancing
sank, as did all life, into vulgarity
and RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THE HEBREW DANCE.
1t would be very interesting, did
time permit, TO trace the dance
through the Middle Ages and down
to modern times in France, Scotland.
Ireland. Spain and Italy, and also 10
speak of the dancing and singing
girls in Egypt. called Alma, and In
dia with its nautch girls and Japan
with its geishas. But this discourse
intends TO emphasize religious truths
rather than simply to dicuss dancing
customs The Hebrew word trans
lated dance. denotes the act of leap
ing for JOY. The word suggests
abrupt and boisterous gesticulations
rather than regular and graceful
movements Among the Hebrews
dancing was essentially a religious
rite. 1t was an act of praise; it be-
longed TO all religious festivities.
Moses and Miriam danced 10 their
song of triumph when Israel passed
in safety through the Red Sea. In
Exodus, XIV. 20, we are distinctly told
thst ''all the women went ont after
her (Miriam1 with timbrels and with
Dances" exactly as may be seen in
Arabia today. We also read that
when David was returned from the
slaughter OF the Philistines, that the