The Urge to Dance

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22100, 4 May 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

The Urge to Dance

To dance has been one of tho most / ancient ways in which we poor mortals havo been able to express our feelings of joy and happiness, nor have we been alone in this manner of expressing ourselves. Even the Psalmist tells us that, "the mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like young sheep." About a-quarter of a century ago a great revival of the old English dances took place in Great Britain, and one of them which was very popular was the Morris dance. Named after tho Moriscos or Moors, this is said to have been introduced into England in the sixteenth century, when it was mentioned by Shakespeare. Leaping and bounding were part of Morris dancing, and tho violent movements indulged in caused the little hells sewn on to the dancers' clothes to keep up a continual tinkle. One, "William Kemp, a famous. Morris dancer, danced 1 a Morris from London to Norwich in 1600, and dedicated his amusing account of his exploit to the "most bountiful mistress, Mistress Anne I' itton, Maid of Honour to the most sacred Maid Royal, Queen Elizabeth." Kemp was about a month on tho road with nine complete days' dancing. Ho was lavishly entertained wherever ho stopped, and concluded his adventure as the honoured guest of the Mayor of Norwich.

The popular dances at Court and in society generally were naturally of a more refined order, the minuet being a slow and very stately measure. Tho others, called "country" dances, cama mostly from France, whore they were called" "contre" dances, from the partners being opposite each other, the word being corrupted into "country" afterward.

In the Universal Magazine for January 4, 1734, a number of the favourite dances of tho period aro given, with

AN ART AS OLD AS THE HILLS

the steps. Some of the names are very extraordinary. There are "The Indian Emperor," " Billhead's Masque," "Tires Maggot," "Pity or I Die." which must be done with the minuet step, "Oblidging Delia," and "Dapper Dicky." Fair maids then were no doubt as fond of dancing as they are to-day, for Popo says:—

Oh, Tf to dance nil night, and dress nil day. Charm'd the smallpox, or chas'd old age

away; Who would not Gcorn what housewife a enros produce, Or who would learn ono earthly thing of use.

There is a pathetic story of a poor little French Duchesse, a more child, who in tho days of Louis the Fifteenth was betrothed by her parents to a young nobleman who detested her. At a ball given in honour of tho betrothal, as sho was very short tho poor girl was made to wear a pair of shoes with enormously high heels. Naturally, terribly anxious to create a good impression, she essayed to dance, but on the slippery floor her heels were quite beyond her control, and she /ell down "in great disorder, whereon all the company, including her future husband, laughed heartily at her misfortune." As the years passed manners changed, and a certain section of the fathers and mothers of young England were suddenly inexpressibly shocked by the introduction of the waltz, which it was prophesied would destroy utterly the sanctity of the British home. Then Byron wrote: — Blest was the time waltz choso for her debut; The Court, the Regent, like herself, were new. Such was the time, nor even yet was such; Hoops are no more, nnd petticoats not much; Morals and minuets, virtue and her stays. And tell-tale powder, all have had their days.