Somebody just sent me this question, if a dance that appears early in the novel and movie "War and Peace" by Tolstoy is real, and if so, what are its origins?

The dance is called the "Daniel Cooper".  It certainly does not sound Russian.   Do you know anything about this, or do you have suggestions about who could have information about this?

Thank you

Mikhail Smirnov
Russian dance and music ensemble Barynya
http://www.barynya.com