6. Decency, Health, and Grace Endangered by Quick Dancing?

Through a contemporary newspaper article written about the question of quick dancing, this essay offers a detailed analysis of the text, the authors, their background and the cultural and political climate they represent. In Czech historiography, the period of the 1830s is understood as a time of

social and cultural change. This chapter explores how the emerging ideas regarding liberty and human rights, and a generally more accepting cultural scene are reflected in the discussion of the Redowa, a dance with Slavic roots and some Mazurka-type characteristics. The study of the reception of the Redowa in the Czech Republic allows a glimpse into the broader social and political context of the time.