The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-15
Dance Linked
With Gypsy Steps

AKRON, Ohio-Dr. Oscar Junet
head Of the educational department OIL
the u. r. Goodrich company, offers an
explanation oi the iari band and dance,
which are daily gaining in popularity
IN all parts OF the country.
That which we call the jArf dance
saws DR.. Junek. u, nothing more than
a modification OF the dance OF the
Tsisane gypsiss, a happy, eareiree no
mAdic people that roam through the
southern part OF Europe.
Music played by our jau bands u
closely similar to weird, whimsical mu-
sic played by skilled musicians Of the
gypsies, who, knowing not M note
from another, play with the wonderful
harmony Of the natural music lover
DIR. Junek was born In Tesin, 81.
lesia, Austria, where bands Of the
gypsie, often stopped to play and dance.
"Whsn | was a boy" DR.. Junek says,
Il used to long for the gypsle, 70 come.
To my eyes, they we're q wonderful
people, dressed as they were In clothes
Of brilliant %colors. with ornaments Of
gold and silver and gems around their
arms and neeks and fastened in their
hair. ,
When a band finally made its ap.
pearance ! used to run and hide. For
the Tsiganes are a lawleu people, rec
ogniiing no government and doing az
they like. But when shutdown came and
the gypsies began 10 play and dance,
the strange melody OF their music drew
me like a magnet, and | would watch
them from behind q nearby thieket."
DIR. Junek describes the dance % be.
ing oppressive Of the wild nature Of
the people. Keeping In perfect time TO
the strange, spasmodic rhapsody, the
couples would sway to and fro, slowly.
and then, in a seeming frenzy. 90
through the weirdest contortions.
Their dance 10 hard TO describe. fol.
lowing as 1t does no set rules" DR..
Junek says, 1T Is purely an expression
Of their feelings, wonderful to watch
and difficult to forget. In rs simpler
stages II Is easy to initiate
DR.. Junek says that before the war
the gypsies we're In great demand At
the famous resorts OF Bohemia, When
members Of the royal families OF
Europe visited Carlsbad or Mirienbad.
he said, they would always demand that
the gypsies play and dance for them.
THE gypsies were paid fabulous
prices to do their best" he says. II
Hremember an incident that occurred
once at Carlsbad while I was there.
Count Tisla, prime minister OF Hun.
gary, was at the resort with A party al
friends HE obtained a band 10 dance
for him.
Before the dance started, the count
| drew a S00-franc note from his pocket.
Tearing Il in halves he gave n part
TO the leader OF the band.
II you please me- he said, !
will give you the other half, But II
you don't | will throw this part
away
Needless to say" DR.. Junek added.
"the gypsies went through their best
PAGES for the count. He lived up TO
his word and paid the money. And that
was in addition to their regular fee"
DR.. Junek explains the introduction
Of the dance into America by saying
that a dancing master from this country
probably witnessed the dance at one OF
these resorts and brought il here.
1T Is possible, however" he said,
that some OF the gypsies may have
come to America after the war pre-
vented them from living as they loved
to live and introduced the dance to us