THE COTILLON.
At large balls, like the Patriarchs', there is hardly time for more than
two or three figures and one favor figure. It is almost useless for me
to go into the history of the cotillon, and I do not believe that it
would be of any service to my readers. We imported it from France about
the same time as the English, and it owes its origin, I believe, to
Germany. For the past thirty years it has been a favorite form of dance.
It is picturesque and amusing, and, besides, gives the opportunity for
the exchange among the dancers of pretty trifles provided by the
generosity of the host. At large semipublic balls like the Patriarchs'
(I use "semipublic" simply because given by a number and not in a
private house) the favors are very simple, but at special cotillons or
at those danced at private houses they are extremely elaborate and
costly.
Cotillon seats are generally secured in the early part of the evening by
tying handkerchiefs to the backs of the chairs. At the Patriarchs' and
other large balls they can be secured by arrangement with one of the
stewards, as each Patriarch has so many reserved for him, and the man
invited by one of them can obtain permission and ask for two of his
host's seats. But this is not usual, and is known as a "little trick of
the trade."
To be a successful leader of cotillons it requires the skill and the
tact of a general--I might almost say of a Napoleon Bonaparte. One's
talents should not be altogether in one's heels and one's toes. The
leader must be an excellent dancer and a firm disciplinarian. He must
see that the wall flowers have an occasional turn, and that every one
gets at least one favor. As he has to marshal a large force of people he
is bound to find among them--of course in the orthodox society manner--a
few turbulent spirits, a few who would mutiny, and who must be taught
their places in a conciliatory but positive manner.
The cotillon in New York is generally danced after supper. It lasts
about two hours. At large balls two figures are all that can be danced,
owing to the number of guests. Sometimes it is led by two couples. A
leader frequently dances stag--that is, without a partner. All men
dancing without partners are called stags. These usually have their
place by the door and are given their turn last. The leader must
announce after supper the time for the cotillon to begin. He must see
that the partners are all in their places. The favor table is generally
placed at the end of the room opposite the doors, but this depends on
the shape and the style of the apartment.
Formerly a cotillon leader used a whistle for the different figures;
to-day, however, he simply claps his hands to denote the changes.
It is almost unnecessary here to illustrate the form of the cotillon. It
consists in waltzes and sometimes polkas, danced by eight, ten, or
twelve couples at a time. The couples are seated in chairs around the
room, the men without partners known as the stags being near the door.
The leader begins the first figure, which is usually the simplest one,
by "taking out" or choosing a partner and motioning the first four, six,
or eight couples with places nearest him on one or both sides of the
room to rise. All waltz. After a turn around the room the leader stops
and claps his hands. The partners all separate, and each of them goes
and chooses a new one--the man a new woman, the woman who was his
partner a new man. The figure is then arranged and danced. After the
evolution required by the figure is finished there is another short
waltz, and the dancers return to their places. The leader then calls out
the next party, and this is repeated until every one in the room has had
a turn. The stags are called out last. Having no partners to dance with,
each has the privilege of taking out two ladies--the first before the
figure is formed, and the second when the change of partners is
signalled by the leader. The leader directs the figures and dances all
the time.
Every second figure is one for the distribution of favors. The same
procedure occurs, and when the leader claps his hands the dancers
separate, waiting for the favors to be distributed. The latest custom is
for the leader and his partner to carry around the favors, to the
couples whose turn comes next. He gives to the ladies, she to the men.
The scramble at the favor table has been abolished. The men present
their favors to the new partners whom they select, and the women do
likewise. It is very embarrassing and not good form to give your favor
to the partner with whom you are dancing the cotillon. Favors must be
sufficient in quantity not only to go once all around, but there should
be some left over, as the advent of the stags gives the ladies a double
chance to bestow favors upon men. The most graceful way of offering a
favor is to present it with a little bow. Try and locate the places
where your friends are sitting. It is certainly rude, if not
tantalizing, to search through a long row of girls dangling a favor. It
is not difficult in the figures to become well acquainted with the local
geography. Matrons are asked frequently to preside at the favor tables,
but recently some of the floral trifles are brought in arranged in a
sedan chair of flowers, at which two powdered lackeys are stationed,
like the linkboys of old. Originality, however, has not been rampant in
cotillons. Favor figures are the most popular. The woman who brings the
greatest number of favors from a cotillon scores an undoubted triumph.
She comes from the ballroom flushed and delighted, carrying with her the
trophies of her victory, which she is pleased to call her "scalps."
Social obligations are often paid off by men in this way.
Of the few cotillon figures danced in New York society, the grand chain
is the most popular and the simplest. The number of couples called by
the leader form themselves in a ring around the room. At his signal
they face each other and dance the right and left grand chain, the men
to the right and the women to the left, until the original parties are
brought together, when all waltz.
The _Sir Roger de Coverley figure_ is formed in lines of four abreast,
the men standing together on the inside, and the women next to their
partners on the outside of the line. When the leader signals, the women
advance quickly, one after the other, to the head of the line. The men
then join hands, forming an arch, as in Sir Roger de Coverley; the
women, passing under two by two, meeting their partners, waltz with
them.
In the snake figure--one which is very seldom danced--quite a large
number of couples are called, who form a ring around the room. The
leader, taking the hand of one of the men, breaks the chain, and the
couples are wound around until they come together in a knot, when the
signal is given to them to waltz. The wheel figure is somewhat similar,
and is quite a romp.
In the ring figure another evolution is borrowed from the lancers. Rings
of four couples form through the room. The men raise their arms and the
women pass through, dancing with the men in the next ring, and so on,
until they get to the top of the room, the men remaining stationary.
Then a grand march, men to the left, ladies to the right, is formed, and
the partners meet and dance.
The Maypole and all complicated figures which require the use of toys or
_papier-mache_ articles are not in vogue in New York. In Paris these
trifles, such as vegetables and heads of animals and other gewgaws, pass
for favors, as well as to lend a variety to the cotillon. In New York
very handsome souvenirs have superseded these.
Frequently in large cotillons in New York the blank or nonfavor figures
are danced only once without change of partners, as in the snake or
grand chain; otherwise the cotillon would be interminable. The leader
calls out a number of couples and goes through the figure at once, the
original partners dancing all the time with each other. I have given
both forms, and although the first explanation may seem to those who go
out every year antiquated, it is still the vogue for small and
consequently enjoyable cotillons.