ains Indians of America are celebrated for their grotesqueness. The
green-corn dance and the cachina of the Pueblos and the snake dance of
the Moqui all have an economic foundation. In all, however, the play
element in man and the desire for dramatic expression and the art of
mimicry are evident. The chief feature of the dance of the primitive
people is the regular time beat. This is more prominent than the grace
of movement. Yet this agrees with {134} the nature of their music, for
in this the time element is more prominent than the tune. Rhythm is
the strong element in the primitive art of poetry, music, or the dance,
but all have an immense socializing influence. The modern dance has
added to rhythm the grace of expression and developed the social
tendencies. In it love is a more prominent feature than war or
religion.

Catlin, in his _North American Indians_, describes the buffalo dance of
the Mandan Indians, which appears to be more of a service toward an
economic end than an art of pleasure. After an unsuccessful hunt the
returned warriors bring out their buffalo masks, made of the head and
horns and tail of the buffalo. These they don, and continue to dance
until worn out. Ten or fifteen dancers form a ring and, accompanied by
drumming, yelling, and rattling, dance until the first exhausted one
goes through the pantomime of being shot with the bow and arrow,
skinned, and cut up; but the dance does not lag, for another masked
dancer takes the place of the fallen one. The dance continues day and
night, without cessation, sometimes for two or three weeks, or until a
herd of buffaloes appears in sight; then the warriors change the dance
for the hunt.

The dancing of people of lower culture was carried on in many instances
to express feelings and wishes. Many of the dances of Egypt, Greece,
and other early civilizations were of this nature. Sacred hymns to the
gods were chanted in connection with the dancing; but the sacred dance
has become obsolete, in Western civilization its place being taken by
modern church music.

_The Fine Arts Follow the Development of Language_.--While art varied
in different tribes, we may assume in general that there was a
continuity of culture development from the rude clay idol of primitive
folk to the Venus de Milo or the Winged Victory; from the pictures on
rocks and in caves to the Sistine Madonna; from the uncouth cooking
bowl of clay to the highest form of earthenwar