John Stillwell Stark had planned publishing it in September 1899,[1] but had doubts about the marketability of the piece and delayed publication.

[2] The 1902 arrangement was a short ragtime folk ballet suitable for stage performance, complete with narration and choreography.

Four years later, Stark republished the piece in a piano rag arrangement, stripped of its narration and choreography and substantially shortened.

Starting with the "D" section, the pianist is instructed to "Stamp the heel of one foot heavily upon the floor" in time with the beat.

In November 1970, Joshua Rifkin released a recording called Scott Joplin: Piano Rags[7] on the classical label Nonesuch, which featured as its third track "The Ragtime Dance".