DAN'CING, may be defined to be a graceful movement of the figure, accom panied by gestures and attitudes indica tive of certain mental emotions, and by measured steps in harmony with a piece of music arranged for the purpose. The great antiquity of dancing is attested by history, both sacred and profane. It con sisted at first, probably, of nothing more than gesticulation and moving in a pro cession ; in which sense it formed part of the celebration of the religious rites of the ancient Hebrews and Egyptians. But the Greeks, who are confessedly indebted to the Egyptians for the elements of their religion and literature, though these were afterwards refined by them to such a de gree as nearly to obliterate all traces of their origin, soon polished and improved these sacred rites, and introduced them into all the festal ceremonies of which their elegant mythology was composed. In this they were, as usual, imitated by the Romans. If we believe Scaliger, the early bishops of the church were styled preesules, because (as the word literally implies) they led off the dance at their solemn festivals ; and this practice con tinued in the church till the 12th century.
Almost every country can boast of its national dances peculiar to the inhabi tants ; which it is rare to see so well per formed when adopted by others. Of these the best known to us are the tarantella of the Neapolitans. the bolero and fandango of the Spaniards, the mazourek and kra koteiague of Poland, the cosaque of Rus sia, the redowac of Bohemia, the quad rille and cotillon of France, the walls and gallopade of Germany, and the reel of Scotland. As an exercise, or amuse ment, dancing is nothing more than a methodized net instinctive in the human frame. To tmtch dancing, is to teach the activity of the body to display itself in a manner regulated by the principles of grace, or in imitation of steps and ges tures which others have used with appro bation. By its mechanical effects on the body, it inspires the mind with cheerful ness ; while the music which accompanies it has effect upon the body as well as upon the mind.