The Washington herald., 1913-05-18
History interviewer with
Dances Of All Ages-Pan-
tomime Movements Proba-
blyMade by Paleozoic Man.

There is plenty Of history interviewer
itself Is historical. in that 1t Is the
Oldest known mode of expression, says
a writer in the New York Press. We
lithic man were pantomimic from the
fact that all the savage dances Of the
present day contain more or less OF
dramatic gesture and mimicry.
That the dance a ceremonial be-
came more and more intricate is evil
dent. In some of its religious phases
1t was shrouded with certain mys-
terry. In certain countries mistake
In the figure of a religious dance was
punished with death; the snake dances
of the Moqui Indians are combined
with a festival for many days; the tor
Fture dances and ghost dances Of some
American Indian tribes of the present
are interviewer with an incredible
amount of ritualism.
These dances give a clew to tie dances
of the ancient civilized nations. and
the inferential result often Is confirm
ed by ancient inscription or picture.
The old sacrifcial dances OF the sun
worshipers probably were performed in
a circle around a central object, which
was frequently victim. human or
otherwise, upon the altar of the god.
When the Israeiites danced around the
golden calf they were but initiating the
older dance. which took place around the
altar OF the bull Apis in ancient Egypt
in which all the participants were naked.
Found I'm Children's Games.
Strangely enough. these sacrihcial
dances have strayed down through the
ages in the form of children's games.
and in watching the youngsters circle
around Little Sallie Waters one is
observing a survival of the worship
of an ancient Egyptian god.
In this connection it may be said that
very much of ancient history is to be
found imbedded in 8hildren's music: IL
we ride cock horse" not to ''Banbury
Cross" but back to the old Greek days
We shall find our steed turned into the
hoppogrif. half horse, half dragon. Of
mythology.
London Bridge Is Falling Down" Is
a very modern setting of the satirical
song aimed at Peter of Colechurch, who
was building the bridge in A B. los;
Turn Again, Wilmington" was the
London waterman's round when Sir
John Norman sailed down the Thames
to take his seat as Lord Mayor of Lon
don in 1883, and even Three Blind Mice"
takes US back as far as 1903. while Fly
Away, LdQyDuB, Cdrrlcs Us u tHc
dreadful CONGREGATIONS Of the Thirty
Years War in Pomerania-
Having spoken OF the ancient Egyp-
tan dancing. it is sequential to describe
the dances Of scriptursl times. Many of
these were borrowed from Egyptian
sources. Dancing was now entwined
with almost every religious rite, but We
must constantly remember that by the
word dance" We mean. at this epoch,
rather pantomime. dramatic action, and
gesture, than gyration.
Danced to Handbags.
The Song OF Miriam. Of Deborah. and
Barak used some familiar Egyptian
tune to which the singers improvised
words which became an improvised re-
cItal of history and which were ac-
companied with tambourines and other
persuasive instruments and especially
with steady clapping of hands to keep
the large chorus in time.
The proofs of the handclapping are
to be found in the Scriptures themselves
where the command to sing joyfully
and clap your hands refers to just
such a practice and the pictures on the
Egyptian tombs are replete with in
stances Of this handcIapping conducting
of music.
As regards the Song of Deborah and
Barak. Judges v. verses 12-72. II Is a
picture of the battle, with a naming of
the leaders with praise and blame. and
mimicking of their characteristics
dancing in the ancient sense); verses
$50 are full of the fiercest sarcasm di-