New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-29
MODERN DANCING.
From The Sgf,Itd1V Periesr.

S0iuf0Hy ReCietr
During the last few years, Waiting has advanced
from form of exercise To something like an art.
Passing over minor details of style, the principal
points of improvement seem to he keener apprecla
tion OF time, and q moGe of motion more equable,
more Rhythmic ana hence more graceful. Both OF
these are in great due to an alteration in
the character of modern dance music. The
uneven melody OF waitzes like the Mabel"
and the rattle of the now almost obsolete
caiop. have yielded 10 STRAIN which whether
melting into languOr or swelling into passion Is
ruled throughout 10y an ncXolable three-iime which
bends the widest vagares to IFS sway. Inns is
certainly the cause of the added grace which Che
NODE of motion IN waltZing eXhI, its There Is a
dreamy lgc about the measure which the limbs
of its votares cannot long resist, and which has
charms 10 sOothe into sobrety even The frantic vo-
lence OF a provincial deur temps.
But the main cause OF the Improvement lies
deeper than this and is to be found III the keener
musical sense of the age, which has at last brought
people to recognize that true dancing consists III
motion of the whole 0oiy IN time with the music.
not IN the execution of certain steps with more or
less mechanical accuracy, 10 which the ac-
compartment of music Is merely superiiu-
ons luxury. Nor is 1t in this re>pect alone that
the old order changeth the uniform rotation which
cont en,od simple forcfathcrs has gwen place 10
a series If complicated movements, wherein no III
vdIous preterence gwen TO any particular FORM OF
prOgressoE As fancy dictates. or the cxlgencles OF
steering require the skilled performer Qlldes for
ward or back ward. or winds away In reverse"
| Upon tits latter practice much abuse has been
heaped, and not without some justice; but, Oh the
| whoe. i: must be reckoned gam.
| As nation. we are supposed Ia take our pleas
",
brilliant examples OF the national characteristic.
Whether he pleasure is of that intense sort which
| il akin 10 pain, whether some dim prescience OF
the future greatness of their Expresses the minds
of proficient walters with sense of painful re-
sponsbiity do rot presume todccide, but certain
Ii Is that during their performances they usually
assume an air ol solennIty which approaches the
| ugubriOus. CurlOusly enough the converse may
| often be noticed. Probably DO one enjoys ball
| more keeny than q dancer OF the orthodox unc0m
promising deux temps school. Beamlng with joviaty,
he bursts upon The throng; the wary and the fore
warned are Oh the alert and give INN wide berth:
but woe To the luckless couples upon whom he falls,
| for they small chance of being ground 10
| powder. STRIPS of severed Tament and such
| iaciai cOntortiOns as genteely suppressed agony
permits attest the resistess energy OF his
course. Fortunately his Is mode of motion which
is RAPIDLY converted INTO heat, ana exhausted ma
ture soon brings him 20 standstlll, exhibiting the
piaincst traces of partial dissolution OF his too
solid flesh. Nevertheless he IS to the end, aud
bet ween his gasps. eXclaDs trluBiphantly 10 bis
partner " That was capital turn To do him
Justice, he perfectly unconscious that he is the
curse Of the ballroom; aud he lays no clam to ex
| cceuce III dancing such enjoyment as he derives
| from il differing little from the pleasure that a
| healthy animal takes In exercise
| There Is yet another type Of bad dancer to whom
dancing is source of subtle JOY. but with him the
pleasure is due to a secret conviction OF his own ST.
periOrity. TINS Is the man who regards Win equal
contempt the modern tf0o temps and the dear temps
of ancient days to him the latter an cXhbItO on
of barDarOus violence, the former is IaTch. His
notion of Waiting is 10 circle steaitniy round his
partner AT any pace which cJinmends Itself 10 his
sense OF fitness. he dlsregaTdS time as completely
the dGT temps dancer; but as sort or concession
10 popular feeling on the subject he punctuates his
movements hy series Of curious dips. OF himself
be VIII probably say that he dances dhe oi1 To's
tennis, or more commonly the real" tOiS temps
ana, murmuriug some such confluence to his pat
ner, he begins ms rather elaborate revolutions, at
the same time comp sng his race into smile winch,
| for sweetness and play of feature, might rival tie
expression OF a Chinese IDOL
We have said that the prevailing tendency of
modern dancing is IN the direction OF quiet grace.
But. IN opposition to this, the partial popularity OF
such dances as the polka and the schottischo pre-
septs a strange anomaly which must not be over
looked. Dances of this description may be regarded
a reactionarv impulse IN winch the forces OF DIS
| order find convenient expression. There Is not
much be said on behalf of the polka 1t Is too
| often danced. But this is the fault, not OF tho
dance, but of the dancers. short time
! ago it was our privilege TO have pointed
| ont to Ms "the best pokst IN London" and the
peculiar charm OF tins gifted PERSONS dancing APP
| pearcd 10 be the facility with which he flung bis
| partner on the floor. Probably the dance owes
OF its popularity to the fact that II can calm TO
be recaoned round" dance II is sort of social
compromise; and accordingly lady is enabled 10
put of with polka partner whose feelings would
| be outraged by the offer of square"
II the waltz has lost something of the grace OF the
older dance. It has gained IN what may be called
poetic power, ana this is the secret OF Ms success
As au emotional outlet IL meets more fully The re-
Quirenents of the age which has gwen II birth or,
as il may be expressed in the language of evolution,
IL supplies complete adjustment
of inner to our outer relations Ana
the truth of this is in no way affected by
the fact that modern opinion condemns the Older
methods of wHltZmg as imperfect for the same
process of evolution which caused the minuet To be
discarded for the waltz has Effected and VIII
doubtless continue to effect important modtca-
tons IN the form of the latter. Therefore that
dancing as art, its latest expression. the waltz,
should exhibit an increasing eabOIateness IN
response TO the increasing cOMplexty OF our mental
organization Is at once both natural and proper.
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