The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-06-11
THE NEW FASHIONABLE DANCE.


A new style of round dancing is in-
troducetl for every summer, and the |
ono for 1880 ia now being taught BY |
tho masters. 4 am learning it Of an |
expert. 1t is waltz with the familiar |
waltz time and step for 4 basis, but |
with certain: characteristics that make !
it remarkable. Last yesar the innoVa. |
ton was a sliding step that WAS sore
trial to short legs, and very difficult to |
do gracefully. 1t was q modification
of the much abused s:Boston dip"
which in turn was departure ffom
the csteady-circling waltz previously in
vogue. Thus dancers have bccn stead !
lily abandoning the quiet ways OF
former years, and now We have what |
must in reason be accepted as, the Gull
n,ination. Propriety can no further go
in the direction Of the ballet. 1t has
no distinctive name that I have heard.
1t is danced by main strength, allied
to agility, and grace is a secondary
consideration. Many do dance It grace
fully, but that Is owing to their own
natural ease of movement L have
broken three corset stecls in two ov en-
ings' practice, but an getting on. a o.
! In its perfection this dance may be
muscular, and agile; the woman is
slender, willowy, and wholly, subjec-
tive to- tho movements OF her partner.
He encirclcs her with his right arm,
| not around her waist, but just below
! her shoulders. With his left hand he
clasps her right, and holds it on his
left hip. This brings her cxccctitugiy
close to him, and she Is kept snugly
in that position, not only because he
likes 1t, but because If he docs not
have Il strong hold of her he cannot
take her safely through the dance.
The dancing must begin instantly on
the couple coming together, and a
false step Mt the start is a heinous
terpsichorean ofiense. The steps are
those Of an ordinary waltz, elongated
by u swaying movement from side to
side, and frequent reversals,t all to
rapid music. This carries the. couple
here and there, now this way and now
that, with sWiftness. Their course
about the room is rerratic, and their
bodies sway in perfect accord, giving
them, in connection with the long,
quick steps, an appearance of reckless
: iabandon never before seen in social
dancing. A dozen pairs thus engaged
T are I, remarkable exhibit. A few year,
:, ago, when hoops were worn, such {
dance would not have been modestly
pOSSlD lC1Nt1As, 11CA VClSOll 1InDl1C
lily TO tho guidance of her stalwar
} partner, the woman is flung round ant
round, her feet barely touching th,
floor. The violellces of the exercise il
: excessive, and for q summer dane,
this one. will prove decidedly unsuita
bic. I'octically, the woman will como
out of it in a rosy glow, with her eye.
flashing, and her breath making sighs
: Practically, her dress waist will ib<
spoiled, the powder on hnr face will bt
melted, and she will gasp for breath
If Iithc, undnlating girls dance this
waltz in Jerseys-the skin-tight cos.
tunes that are coming in-the sight
will be rather startlingiy like tho fa
nous dance of the Nautch girls. ...i
This dance is the poetry of motion
in reckless meter, rs I have describe.
c and experienced it; but It must not b.
: supposed that it will be always or eve,
c generally danced in that way. '..,. "a.