The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-16
FOREIGN GOSSIP.


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II the present dancing mood continues
in France, there will be no energy left
in that country for golf, lawn tennis,
and other athletic sports in which young
ladies join. France danced In spite of
the church through the fifteen years that
followed the first Napoleon's final de-
feat. She danced also through the
reign Of Louis Philippe (Egalite), and
then through the second republic. But
the dancing suddenly ceased. save at Of
fetal balls, from the time Of the coup
d'etat Of Napoleon III, in December,
1867, until quite lately. Last spring
there was a revival. not so much in
private houses as in the assembly rooms
of the country hotels within an hours
drive by motor from Paris. These rooms
are hired for "hops" by persons of high
est standing in the Royalist uegitimisD
world. The young people supped at the
buffet "sans gene" and at two in the
morning gas was turned off and the
jewellers stepped into their motors.
1t was whispered that these dances
were attended by the Bourbon pretend
err, the Due d'Orleans. At any rate, they
were so agreeably exhilarant that this
season they are initiated in Paris hotels
in rooms for public meetings, and in all
the garrison towns where young officers
are glad to dance. The cakewalk and
turkey trot are not tabooed. but the
bear dance and the Spanish fandango
are. The waltz has completely gone out
Boston, double Boston, and the Argen-
tina tango are in favor.
| The "habanera,'' which seems so easy,
is a most graceful as well as an exceed
ingly difficult dance. 1t requires special
gymnastics and many rehearsals before
it can be safely attempted at a ball. NJ.
Lefort invented it. He is the former
maitre de ballet at the Paris Opera
House, and was president Of the Dancers
Congress. which the German Emperor
so conspicuously encouraged. He is hos
tile to solo dances of attitudinizing pro-
fessionals and nonprofessionals the lat
ter moved far less by love of art than
vanity.
Dancing in France is not for soloists
but to bring young people together in
harmonious relations to let off their
animal spirits Nothing can be more civ
flizing than the dance thus understood.
On old French engravings as far back as
tine Renaissance, Hymen with his torch,
used to light the way for Terpsichore
and her following of youths and maidens
to rustic and other affairs
Why not try the effect of dance meet
ings to calm what is violent and acrid
in suffragettes? Harmonious muscular
motions, inspired by sweet and soothing
music, chase away angry passions and
bring about happy reaction. Whenever
King Sisowath (of Cambodia) is torment
ed with some evil, brooding spirit he has
his danseuses called to allay it. They
are what David's harp was to the NOR
ose King Saul, who also may have had
dancers to keep time with gliding feet
to the harp of solemn sound.
There is good story of a magistrate
who laid the spirit OF rebellion among
his poor neighbors by encouraging. to
the chagrin of his scandalized friends.
Sunday dancing at cross roads, the
dances being jigs, reels, and other rus
tic steps. He had a carpenter make
floors to be laid down after mass. The
floors We're slowed away at nightfall.
and a parish priest who attended as
garden des moeurs'' gave the dances
his blessing and exhorted them to be-
have discreetly on their way to their
homes. Discomfort lost its aggressive
ness and girls, betrothed to boys" with
whom they danced, went to America, and
later on, after saving up money, sent
for them. Girls found situations more
easily than boys" at that time in Amer
lea.
The French peasantry danced through
nearly 1000 years Hence the longevity
of their monarchy. Charles KS govern
ment about 1881 put a stop to dancing
on village greens, and the fall of that
King was hailed with satisfaction all
over the country. The coup d'etat and
the system of espionage that buttressed
up the second empire destroyed the dane
ing spirit Of Paris. Valentines ball,
the BatignoIles, and Tivoli fell. with La
Mabille and the Chateau des Fleurs. to
low grade of rowdyism. Hence, the
Partisan halls with pleasure the revival
of dancing as a substitute for those
violent exercises that Ill beseem the
gentler sex," the modern woman, the
equal Fighter.
For centuries scientists and explorers
have been endeavoring to solve the prob
lem of the great Sphinx, that colossal
form, 172 feet inches long by so feet