OLD DANCES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1676, 17 February 1913, Page 2

OLD DANCES.

REVIVAL OP THE'SARABAND,

! The revival of the Farandolo, that gay, wild and exoiting old Provencal peasant dance, at the Arabian Nights Ball, has raised the question whether there are not more of the dances of tho past that could be danoed in the ballroom again to-day with similar success 'and enjoyment, writes a correspondent of an English paper.

The saraband, the gavotte, and the minuet are 'dances that tho Chevalier Bocchi, of Ashton and, Mitohell's Royal Agency, suggested recently, in an interview with a representative of the "Observer." might well be revived. They aro all group dances, and, exquisitely dainty and charming. '■ The minuet and the gavotte are, of course,' well-known. The earab&nd is not unlike them. It is a dance of tho periftd of' Louis XIV, and any revival of this dance, and its reproduction in the delicate costume of the time, would make an extraordinarily pretty and effective sceno in the modern ballroom.

Tho Farandole- itself, Signor Bocchi said, is too complicated a dance to be re' peated in any private ballroom. It requires a largo setting like that at Covunt Garden. We can only expect, therefore, to see it now and again, if at all, at soma of:tho largest public balls,Curiously enough, 'the revival of old dances has never really oaught the fanoy of any of the West End and country house Jiostessai Morris dancing is ;in great favour for tho stage and for purposes of entertaining, but it is not expected that it will find its way very far into tho ball programmes of society.. &mm time ago a number of old English dances were revived by Miss Muriol Ridley, tho second Nun of "The Miracle,' and her sister. It was hoped that 6onie at least would find their way into the ballroom, but although many society ladies took great interest in tliem, they did not find an opportunity for their reviral in any permanent form.

This season it is' ragtimo that is #11 tho rage in the ballroom. "The Americans," Signor Bocchi said, "are scoring on a very largo scale. I oannot think, however, that its popularity will endure, for although ragtimo can bo very jolly, it has not tho grace or tho daintiness that other dances possess. "But for the moment only the waltz equals it in favour. On many of the" ball programmes to-day ragtime and waltz music appear alternately. The onoo popu ; lar lancers have almost disappejred. They may, perhaps, bo-seen twice in a' programme of twenty-four danoes, but from many programmes they' liavo vanished entirely." Mrs. Rolleston has gained the reputation of importing the best quality hair it is possible to obtain in Europe) hair that will its colour through constant wear and washing, and that always retains its glossy appearance. Every shade oan be perfectly matched. Purchasers receive expert advloe gratis on the owe and treatment of their hair; also lessons free, on how to dress it fashionably end becomingly. Switches, Transformations, Toupoes, Waved Temple Curls, Pin Curls, etc., are all guaranteed and mado on the premises. No advance is made on the finglish price of hair. Estimates given and patterns matched br post. 250 Lambton Quay. 'Phone 1509.—Advt.