A FASHIONABLE DANCE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2644, 22 June 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

A FASHIONABLE DANCE.

Tin-; cotillion, which is the favourite dance in France, has never become thoroughly popular in England. Nor is the reason far to seek. An Englishman's temperment is not of the kind to see any fun iu making himself look ridiculous, or an Englishwoman's to enjoy being declined as a partner or unnecessarily declining others. To call the cotillion an idiotic dance may be to err on the side of strong language, and yet many who have joined in it have bestowed upon it this uncomplimentary epithet. Where is the charm that makes Continental hostesses delight iu it and Continental guests devote three or four hours to it at the end of every great santerie, as the French graphically call dancing '! The study of a few of the figures may perhaps lead us to discover the secret of its popularity. One deals with coloured aprons, made, of tissue paper. These are brought into the room on a large tray. The gentleman who succeeds in unfolding his a [iron and putting it on before any of the rest is entitled to'the first choice among the ladies. The screen figure is a very common one. A large frame, like that for an ordinary screen, measuring some six feet in height, and with half a dozen pmels. has each panel covered with tissue paper. The gentlemen stand behind the panel. On'the other side stand the ladies, each of whom catches hold of a protruding linger, and, drawing it towards her, bring 3 her entire partner through the paper screen. Each couple then waltzes for a few minutes, and then another figure is introduced. The feather figure is amusing. The ladies stand in a Tow, and one of the men gets a long feather and tickles them with it under the chin. The one who laughs must dance with him. In the looking-glass figure it is the lady who selects her partner. She sits clown in the centre of the room with a small looking-glass in her hand. The candidates come behind her and look into her glass so that she can see their reflection in the mirror. She jerks her handkerchief reject.ingly at them until the chosen suitor arrives. With him she dances. " Paper bags" is considered a good figure. Can you imagine the average serious Englishman enjoying it?" Paper bags about five feet high are provided, with the names of groceries printed upon them, such as tea, sugar, jam, standi, rice, &(!., Each man draws one of those over his head, and they all stand awaitinu- results. The ladies then approach, with nothing to guide them as to tho identity of tho inhabitants of the bags further than their varnished shoes. Iu another figure the man who is to make bis choice of a partner puts on a huge cardboard head of somo animal, as seen in pantomines. lie may be a boar, perhaps, in semblance, and as each lady approaches he growls at her until the one of his choice arrives. The bonbon figure is one of those that make the men look rather foolish Bonbons are tied up iu different coloured paper bays and fastened to the end of fishing rods. The ladies dangle these about" the men's heads, and the latter open their mouthes wide and try to catch the little bags in them. They must not use their hands. When they succeed in catching the bonbon they may dance with the wieldcr of the rod to which it is attached. Another figure in which men, may or may not, look idiotic is that knowu as tho baby-doll. Each lady is given a large doll, dressed as a baby, and then selects two men. She dances with one of them and hands the other tho doll. Ho must danco with it for his partner for the few regulation minutes that each turn lasts. Some of tho sporting figures necessitate a certain amount of agility on tho part of the male dancers. Two chalk lines are drawn upon tho floor, at a distance of fivo or six feet from each other. The names of horses entered iu some impending race are printed ou the cards two of them bearing similar names. Each lady has one card and each gentleman one of the duplicates. When the leader of the cotillion calls out the name of any of the horses, the man who has it ou his card is to jump from one chalk lino to another to claim the lady who has the same horse's name on her card. It ho cannot, accomplish the jump he must not have her, but must pass ou his card. Sometimes a low wall made of matchwood ami tissue paper has to be cleared iu this figure. Somo hostess-.'s give very pretty presents in the cotillion, and at largo and important balls these presents are often valuable. They may consist of some personal .ornament tied with coloured ribbon, each differing from the other. Ribbons arc then distributed among the men, each of these claiming as partner tho lady whose ribbon is of tho colour of tho own. Tho cotillion appears to the insular mind to bo but a childish sort of romping game, but it is thoroughly enjoyed by adults of both sexes on the Continent. It can scarcely even be culled a dance, for the waltz iu which each couple engages is scarcely begun before it is ended. But so great is its vogue in Paris that, the man or woman who inveuts a new figure attains a temporary social fame, and a good "loader " of the cotillion is iu constant demand at the best parties. Perhaps it is our insular misfortune, rather than our fault, that we cannot blithely' pass the small hours in the mazes of the fashionable dance. — Daily News.