The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-06-24
THE NEW WALTZ.
Amazing Abandon OF ihe New
Dance.

A new style Of round dancing is in
trodueed for every summer, and the
one for 1880 is now being taught by
the masters. / am learning Il of an
expert, who has what he calls an acad-
emy in Fifth Avenue. 1t is q waltz,
with the familiar waltz time and step
for basis, but with certain character
istics that make it remarkable. LAST
yesr the innovation was g sliding step
that was q sore trial to short legs, and
very difficult to do gracefully. 1t was
q modification of the much-sbused
'Boston-dlp," which in turn was q de-
psrture from the steady-circling waltz
previously in vogue. Thus dancers
have been steady abandoning the quiet
ways of former years, and now we have
what must in reason be accepted as
the elimination. Propriety can no fur
their go in the direction of the ballet.
Il has no distinctive name that have
heard, but might appropriately be call
ed " The Philadelphia Fling, :" because,
as ! am told. it originated in Phiiadel-
phia, and it has the Highland fiing's
spsce-coveriDg quality. It is danced
by main strength, allied 10 gility, and
grace is a secondary consideration
Many DO dance it gracefully, but tina.
Is owing to their own natural ease of
movement. l have broken three cor
set steels in two evenings practice, but
am getting on. In its perfection, the
Philadelphia fling may be described as
follows: The man is tall, muscular
and agile. The woman Is slender, will
lowy and wholly subjective to the move
ments of her partner. He encircles her
fiuslly with his right arm, not around
her waist. but just below her shoul-
ders. With his left hand he clasps her
right and holds it on his left hip. This
brings her exceedingly close TO him,
and she is kept snugly In that POSI-
sion, not only because he likes it,
but because if he does not have 3
strong hold of her he cannot take her
safely through the dance. She LITERAL
~ sticks her nose into his breast or
shoulder, and some day weak girl Is
going to be smothered to death in the
midst of her delight. AT the least,
pug noses will be common il the dance
remains fashionable many seasons. 1t
is not the correct thing to stand still in
this hugging attitude. The dancing
must begin instantly ON the couple
coming together, and false step at
the start is heihous terpsichorean Of
fence. The steps are those of an ordi-
nary waltz, elongated to q suprislng
extent, and accompanied by swaying
movement from side to side and fre-
quent reversals, all to rapid music.
This carries the couple here and there,
now this way and now that, with sur
prising swiftness. Their course about
tie room is erratlc, aud their bodies
sway in perfect accord, giving them,
in connection with the long. quick
steps, an appearance of reckless
abandon never before seen in social
dancing. A dozen pairs thus engaged
are remarkable exhibit, and It Is no
wonder that cautious mammas divide
their forebodings between the break
age and the improper exposure of their
daughters legs. A few years ago,
when hoops were worn, such dance
would not have been modestly possible.
Now, the prevailing style of dress pre-
vents more than "a merely bewitching
display" of the wondrously beautiful
silk stockings which are fashionable
The clinging scantiness of the cur
rent skirt, though plainly showing
every movement of the dancers
legs, does not reveal great amount of
their immediate covering. Yielding
her person implicitly to the guidance of
her stslwsrt partner, she is flung round
aud round, her feet barely touching the
floor. The violence of the exercise is
excessive, and for summer dance this
one will prove decidedly unsuitable.
Politically, the woman will come out OF
it in rosy glow, with her eyes fash
ing, her bosom rising and falling trem-
ulously and her breath making signs.
Practically, her dress waist will be
spotted by perspiratIon, the powder on
her face will be melted, and she will
gasp for breath like horse with
the heaves. However, she will en-
Joy the wild sport, whatever
my be thought By the tired fellow
who has particularly carried her through
1t. II 1.-THE, uniulating girls dance
this waltz in Jerseys-the limited. skin
tight costumes that are coming in-the
sight will be rather startlingly like the
famous dance of the naked Nautch
girls. The ''Philadelphis fling" is the
poetry of motion in reckless metre, as
I have described and experienced it;
but it must not be supposed that it
will be always or even generally danced
in that way. All men are not muscu-
lar and agile. All women are not light
of foot aud slight of figure. Conse-
quently there will be a great
deal of grotesqueness. Obesity and
awkwardness are unfortunately COM
mon, and are rendered COM
ical when their possessors try to
skip nimbly. If either of pair is q
bad dancer, both might as well be. A
woman who humps up her back, or
tries to keep her partner at distance,
or is heavy and slow, or attempts to
decide for herself when to reverse, is
horror to the man who tries to dance
with her. That / take on the word
of my teacher. The man who steps on
his partners corns, or bangs her against
other dancers, or lets her fall, deserves
burning at the stake. That / say from
personal experience.-Neso York Cor.
Cincinnati Enn1tirer