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Show A Homily on Dancing. Kate Field's Washington. That the german 6hould be so universally popular is not surpising for it is decidedly the most varied of all parlor dances, combining combin-ing quadrille figures with the fascination of the w altz a deux temps. Its capabilities for grace are large, though not often carried out indeed, the utter want of this element, particularly partic-ularly among the men, is painfully observable observ-able ; yet Amerieans.enjoy a European reputation reputa-tion for the excellence of their dancing, compared com-pared with Englishmen, who are the most awkward of their sex, they are fawns; yet there is scarcely a more uuarainly sight than a man in a dress suit, spinning around like a teetotum frantically dragging amass of tulle about with him apparently trying to get from one end of the room to the other by the most circuitous route, and bringing up sud denly ag-ainst a wall or a man with another mass of tulle, both parties rather the w orse for the collision, panting as though they had the hydrophoiu, and red enough in the face to be victims of apoplexy. The long strides men take in the galop are. quite wonderful; won-derful; the attitude assumed being very like that taken by frogs plunging into water. They seem vainly trying to "''double" the expanse of drapery w hich clings to them so fondly. 'Come, rest in this bosom," is. often played as quadrille music, which I think, is a mistake; for, were it arranged as a waltz, nothing could be more appropriate to or more, i suggestive of, the favorite pose of the ladies, Apparently they seem to have in their minds or at least in their heads, reeol-lections reeol-lections of Aiy Scheffer's picture, "Paolo e Francesca," and suit the action to the thought. As dancing is prosecuted, there should be no spectators, for to them the scene is certainly cer-tainly exlrordinary. A delightful and natural nat-ural amusement is, in its present condition, shorn of charms. Are days of grace never to return! Is the poetry of motion to be confined con-fined to Ellslers and Taclionis? How refresh-ins: refresh-ins: it would be could the dignified yet beautiful beau-tiful dances of Spain be grafted onto our guwrharie. as balls would be worth looking at and dancing one of the tine arts.. The (lancer would then be physically improved by his amusement, instead of becoming miT awkward by an awkward perferm-auce. |