New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
Carl Randall Goes
To Pyrenees for
His Gypsy Dances

! the Greenwich Village Follies, makes
annual pilgrimage to nut-of- -the-way
/ places in search Of new dance mata-
rial. 1t was among gypsies of the
Pyrenees Mountains last summer that
no found the evolutions which give q
wild zingaro atmosphere to one Of the
numbers In the current revue at the
Shubert Theater.
while in Barcelona I heard COM
ment on the odd dances of the gyp-
sles in the Pyrenees," says Mr.. Ran
dali. "and determined to witness
some Of them. Accompanied by my
father and mother and some artist
friends made journey Of l5o miles
back Into the mountains:
1T was no jaunt in luxurious
Pullman. That journey was about as
| rough as any one ever made. We left
Barcelona by motor at O'Clock In the
morning SO we could be at Majaha by
dinner time the next evening. This
was necessary, as the roads were very
rough. We were warned when wa
started that not only did our car look
too good, but our appearances were
entirely too prosperous for trip to
the gypsy stronghold.
/ after we had gone through numer-
Gus mud holes, receiving Spanish dec
orations, such as are never given by
the King, we presented no emar. an.
pearance, and when | saw the gynsy
bandits realized that we probably
must have frightened them by our
mud-soiled and tattered appearance.
just before we arrived at Maiaba we
struck piec Of very good road. and
putting on full speed we drove up to
the inn at about mile minute. Orr
speed and appearance threw fear into
both man and beast, for dogs and
chickens scampered ont of the wav
and several natives dropped off their
I! chairs. A woman tainted, and three
old men who had been talking stood
with their mouths open and hands In
/ the air. thinking that We were about
to hold them up.
"At dinner they served some OF the
most delicious wine have ever
tasted. 1t was served from goat.
skin bottle. which stood on the table
and as one wanted to fill the glass he
simply picked up the goatskin and
poured, the goatskin having rope tieo
around 1t so that it would not tin owe,
and spill the wine. We afterware
walked UP a quaint old street In the
! town, the architecture of the houses
being distinctly Moorish, and came e
e an old bull-fghting arena. This arena
was series Of brick walls built a
different heights, forming tiers. ant
we sat on these walls. There were
many ether visitors, as this was 9
. fete dav. Flamingo singers and dane.
ers were the first on the program
, inese aingaros started very SLOWLY te
dance, playing guitars and singing
and gradually as the music and dances
, went on they worked themselves ar
Into frenzy; but they never became
+ SO excited that 1t was at all difficult for
them to stop and pick up any money
which was thrown on the center of the
platform. The only lighting for this
entertainment was by torches. which
: gave weird appearance to the entire
scene. The gypsies did many othe,
native dances, and each was interest.
ing.
recall continued Mr.. Randall
zone dance where two men were tied
together by their left arms and danced
with daggers In their right hands, each
srying to stab the other, but when the
performance ended no blood had been
shed. One dance was executed by )
man and six women, the man dane.
Ing In the eenter, back and forth owe,
Ieng trains Of the women's dresses
and the women moving In q circle
around him. This gave me an idea
and do similar dance in the Green.
wich Village Foliies In the episode
called Antes de la corrida Del Torro
The entertainment ended with q re.
markable buIihght. The bull was
lamhlike-no blood was she'd ard "a
ichance was taken by any of the bar.
ticipants oa being hurt. In fact, the
only chance taken during the entire
eve ling Of desperate Character was
one induiged in By the audience oi
having their pockets picked as ti,ey
left the buIl-aghting arena.
We spent the night at the inn and
returned 70 Barcelona delighted with
leuy trip, and believing that ala Span
iish bandits arc not 80 terrible. While
thieves by profession fhey are chill
1rSn NE hee ~