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mazurka

(Encyclopedia)mazurka məzûrˈkə, –zo͝orˈ– [key], Polish national dance that spread to England and the United States at the beginning of the 19th cent. Danced by four or eight couples and characterized by s...

Fleming, Peggy

(Encyclopedia)Fleming, Peggy, 1948–, American ice skater, b. San Jose, Calif. She began skating at age 9, and after distinguished accomplishments as a juvenile and novice skater, she was U.S. Ladies Champion from...

Delaney, Shelagh

(Encyclopedia)Delaney, Shelagh shēˈlə [key], 1939–, English playwright, b. Salford, Lancashire. Her first play, written when she was only 17, was A Taste of Honey (1958), about a young working-class girl who r...

saraband

(Encyclopedia)saraband sârˈəbănd [key], dance of Asian origin that first appeared in Spain in the 16th cent. At that time it was characterized by alternate 3–4 and 3–8 meter and was accompanied by castanets...

Vitus, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Vitus, Saint vīˈtəs [key], 4th cent.?, Sicilian martyr. Vitus is invoked against diseases including epilipsy, nervous disorders, and St. Vitus' Dance (Sydenham's chorea). He is one of the Fourteen ...

castanets

(Encyclopedia)castanets kăsˌtənĕtsˈ [key], percussion instruments known to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, possibly of Middle Eastern origin, now used primarily in Spanish dance music or imitations of it. Th...

Marisol

(Encyclopedia)Marisol (María Sol Escobar) mărˈĭsŏlˌ, märēˈä sōl āskōˈbär [key], 1930–2016, Venezuelan-American sculptor, b. Paris. Marisol was first influenced by pre-Columbian sculpture and South ...

Hereward the Wake

(Encyclopedia)Hereward the Wake hĕrˈĭwərd [key], fl. 1070, Anglo-Saxon rebel against William I. A thane, he apparently held land in Lincolnshire. In 1070 he sacked Peterborough with the aid of a Danish fleet an...

Heyward, DuBose

(Encyclopedia)Heyward, DuBose dəbōzˈ hāˈwərd [key], 1885–1940, American author, b. Charleston, S.C. His first published work was a volume of poetry, Carolina Chansons (1922), written with Hervey Allen. Heyw...

Flüe, Nicholas von der, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Flüe, Nicholas von der, Saint fən dĕr flüˈə [key], 1417–87, Swiss patriot and folk hero. He was leader of the cantonal forces fighting Austria and counselor for many years to the duke of Saxon...