, 1873-01-12
THE STUDY OF DANCING.


glance at tho advertisements in the newspapers
at this season OF the year reyenls goodly array
OF offers from professors Of the crt Of dancing
to teach the Accomplishment in few lessons.
Some Of these announcements appear to imply
on the part Of the masters or uastrcsscs OF the
craft the possession OF 8 secret as mysterious as
tho celebrated charm OF air. Harey; that ls to
say, they undertake to tamo the widest nnd
| most uncouth of pupils into tame and
graceful performers by process so quick
that it eeeu,a to owo its virtue to magic. This
prescribed that a lady OF gentleman should learn
t to walk before dancing. Neophytes were practi-
cally put to tho back board and the goose step.
They wore ulado to march slowly to tune
upon squeakiug kit or sort Of pup-iddle, and
after eeTero course Of such treatment, were at
leugt1 initiated by single stops into tho manner
OF moving in quadrille. Wehave now changed
al that. The examining system is at work in
the dancing school. AND as horse trainers ere =,
in tho habit Of Harvesting proficient stasors with
animals unaccustomol to the shafts, professors
of the dance have discovered tha. nothing
expedites tho culture Of pupil
like having ..tho benefit Of his daughters
| people engaged in this calling Is proof Of the
largo proportion OF persons in town requiring
their Services but no adult will readily confess
to taking lessonn. any moro than he OF she will,
II possible, bo detected dycinS the hair or din
ing at l o'clock. However,, there arc both
ladies' and gentlemen who really make dancing
study.
Although tho winter is tho season Of the
dancing mans dlBcontent, he has q lew oppor~
tunitiea OF conso1ng in those of-hand scratch
parties which interchangeable mothers are not in
different to promoting At eny t'mo OF the year
in fact, he loves tho little dance Perhaps even
moro than the big ball. In tho crush and po-.
lite confusion OF the largo assembly, there Ii
but scant room for tho proper exercise Of waltz
ing as q fine art. To be snro the occasion may
bo seized in order to exhibit the gifts of pilot
| ago and steering, bu. these are only the minor
niceties OF tho dancing man'a craft thero iB
nothing ho likes better than an imnroviaed
affair. when nt some ones suggestion middle
floor furniture is thrust into the corners, con-
TIE space is established under the gaseher, and
the piano is made to give tongue in quadr1lle,
for the gcnuino dancing man does not ignore
quadrillos- The figures enable him to
develop Intent capacities OF fascinating
movement which contrast remarkably with
the sort Of plantation work in which an
ordinary practitioner endeavora to do what is
! aud certainty about his manners which Is lra-
| posing. In lances or calcdonians he ia as COM
pletely at homo as drill-sergeant among raw
recruits. He is master of every perpie1ity, and
| by lis discreet management will cxtrlcata pnz-
zfcd performers from tho miseries Of that ridicu-
in quadEilles of semi-donestic kind. But, OF
course, it is in the round rather than the
chiefly triumpha. Tho whirling dcrvsh would
not got the better OF him IN wind. His head is
equal to the most limited circle OF revolution.
His shoes fash simultaneously with the
lis perfect composure at tho rapid finish Of
| galop With tho discontinue, to say the least Of
It, Visible on the countcnances and the neckties
| Of commonplace guests. One hn5 been hauhng
| blonde against the music until every step Was
torture to both Another IS obliged to sta5ger
| to q sofa with q general appearance of having
had the boxinG-gloyes on With friend third
has been compelled to stop after single turn