Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-09-01
Thoughts on Modern Dancing.
POINTS OF IMPROVEMENT.


The broad fact remains that, within the last
few years, Waiting has advanced from a form
OF exercise 10 something ike an arr, Passing
over minor details OF style. the principal
points or Improvement seem ID be a keeUer
appreciation OF tine. and mode. or motion
more equable. more rhythmic, ana hence more
graceful. Both of these are in a great N eaSure
due to an alteration in the character OF
mcdern dance music TIE uneven melody or
wa!Zes Ike the Mabel ami the rattle OF
the now almost obsolete ealop, have yielded
languor or swelling into passion, IS ruled
throughout by an memorable three-time which
bends the widest vagaries TO It's sway. This Is
certainly tie cause of the added grace which rde
node OF motion In Waiting exhibits. There is
dreamy magic about the measure which the
limbs OF ifs votaries cannot long resist. and
which has charms 10 Soothe iuto SObriety even
TIE frantic violence OF provincial dPtr temps.
ContraSted with the style which it has sup
planted, it is like the quiet might OF an Atlantic
seas OF The channel.
But the main cause OF the improvement lies
deeper than this. and is TO be fOnnd in the
keener musical sense Of the age. which has at
last brought people 10 recognise that trle dan
cling consists In a motion OF the whole o0dT in
time With the music, not in the execution OF
certain steps With more or less mechanical a.
curacy. TO which the accompaniment OF music
is merely a supertiuoIs luxury. Nor is IT, in
this respect alone that the old order changaLh;
the uniform rotation which cOntentei our sim
pie foFefathers has given place TO a ser'es
of complicated movements wherein no inIii-
iouS preference is given TO any particular
form of progression. AS fancy dictates, or the
eXfgencies OF steering require, the Skilled per-
former glideS fol ward or backward or winds
away in a reverse Upon this latter practice
much abuse has been heaped, and not without
some justice, but. on the whole, it must b.
reckoned gain. The questionable taste of a
person who, after a preliminary stagger. hurts
himself and his partner In the teeth OF the
stream OF other dancers is probably obvious to
body except the offender Stiil IL the
practice be used and not abused, the testimony
is well-nigh universal which tells Of the RELIEF
II affords to physical exhaustion and giddinass
apart from its merits as means OF avoiding
collisions
THE SPIRITUAL FUNCTION OF THE POLKA.
We have said that the prevailing tendency OF
modern dancing Is In the direction or dIiet
grace. But, 1n opposition to this the partial
popularity OF such dances as the polka and the
schottiScbe presents a strange anomaly which
must not be overlooked. Dances Of this deScrio-
ton may be regarded as a reactionary impulse
In which the forces OF disorder find convenient
expression. There is not much TO be said on
behalf OF the polka, as 1t Is too often danced.
But this is the fault not OF the dance but or tue
dancers. A Snort time ago it was our privilege
to have pointed out 10 US 1.-The best po!kist In
persons dancing appeared to be the facility With
when ne hung his partner on the floor. Prob
the fact that 1t can claim to be reckoned as
round dance. 1t Is a sort Of social c0rapra-
mise; and accordingly lady Is enabled to put
Of with polka partner whose feelings would
TIE IRREGULARITIES OF SCOTCH DANCING.
The case OF the SchottiScbe Is rather different
In spite OF being disguised under foreign
name, it Is OF genuine Highland origin. and is
stamped with the genuine peculiarties or
Scotch dancing. Broadly speaking. the dstinc-
ton embodied in these pecjliarities may be ex-
pressed by saying that, whereas the IDEAL OF
English dancing Is nearly horizontal move
nent the salient feature OF Scotch dances is
the vertical motion Of the steps employed. In
their peculiar style these Scotch dances arc
capable OF high degree OF artistic excellence
and with proper environment are extremely
interesting. On their native soil. and danced
by persons among whom the associations With
which they are linked still linger, the enthlSi-
asm Which they evoke Is perfectly Ineligible:
but they seem somewhat out OF place In Lon
don draw ing room.
There exists, moreover. IN connection with
tt EN- practice which we conclude is an inSapa-
rable accident OF their proper performance: ne
refer to the barbalic yells In which the pant-up
emotions OF their votariHS seek relief. These
may have been most appropriat e In the mouths
or heroes OF the Mic Mac MethuSelah type:
doubtless the last moments OF la great MAJ
PlalTson were soothed by the chivalr0us trib-
ute OF the ''tbree Warlike howls' with which
his victorious enemy prelUded the fatal blow az
his VitalS: but since the practice Of diSembowel-
ing has ceased to obtain as mode OF express
ing personal differences. such utterances lose
much OF their point.-Sd turdag Rore,c.