Early Dance

[Kevin Varner]

> 
> Greetings unto Duncan,
> 
> Who said,
> 
> > What about gypsies? They seem to be found all over Europe at any given
> > time.  They may not fit the billing of "professional dance troupe", but
> > what the hey, right?  We're fishing for ideas!
> 
> Not quite correct. They migrated through Europe in the middle of our
> period. I believe the time period in question was a bit earlier than
> this.
> 
> To quote from a message in my file from the last time Gypsies were
> discussed on the Rialto:
> 
> >>>>
> According to Clebert, they advanced from India into Persia sometime
> before the 10th Century.  In the 1300's they were officially reported
> in Crete (1322), Corfu (1346), Serbia (1348) and the Peloponnese (1378).
> In the 1400's, they were officially reported in  Basle (1414), Moldavia,
> Hungary and Transylvania (1417), Saxony and Augsburg (1418), France 
> (1419), Bologna and Rome (1422), Paris (1427), Barcelona (1447),
> Wales (1430 or 1440) and Scotland (1447 or 1505) -- the exact year
> of their appearances in Wales and Scotland were being contested.
> 
> In the 1500's, gypsies were reported officially in Russia (1500),
> Poland (1509), England (1514), Sweden (1515) and Norway (1540).
> I use the word 'officially' in this context because Clebert points
> out:
> 
> 	"These dates mark the 'official' appearance of Gypsies;
> 	a fact which must be emphasized.  It does not mean that
> 	in reality the Gypsies had not arrived in Europe before
> 	the authorities thought of mentioning them for the first
> 	time, before the occurrence of some local event or other
> 	with which their name was associated."
> 
> In fact, other authors claim that Gypsies probably made their
> way in England in the 1430's, but valid documentation is lacking
> in these claims. 
> <<<<<
> 
> If anyone is interested in the complete file, just let me know.
> I'm in the process of updating this file, and only a short file is
> currently available at the Web site.
> 
> Stefan li Rous
> markh at risc.sps.mot.com
> 
  Thank you Stefan.  The word "official" also has connotations of
  when someone appeared on the City Watch "Rap Sheet".  Gypsies
  consider themselves to be the "first people" (according to my
  Aunt Mabel, who is sometimes on this plane of existence).
  
  Duncan     (kmv at abm.austin.tx.us)