Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-08-31
The WALTZ.
Its immortality Denounced by One
Who Earns His Living by Teaching
II His steasons for His change Of
Faith


Prof. James p WEIGH, who keeps q
dancing school at Tenth and Chestnut
streets, is about to begin crusade
against the waltz as at present danced,
which he pronounces to be immodest,
vulgar and generally demoralizing
He said: Il have been dancing
master for the past ten years, and have
made it a practice throughout that
period to observe carefully all the
changes in the public taste, and to note
the changes for better or worse in my
profession. | have watched closely
and thought deeply on the subject, and
now have no hesitation in saying that
the waltz, under whatsoever name it
may go for the time being, is immoral.
1t is the only dance that decent people
protest against, and am happy to say
there are numbers of careful fathers
who will not allow their daughters to
dance it, although a vast proportion of
the fashionable, and a majority of the
middle and lower classes do not seem
as yet awakened to its ini9uity. l have
recently been in consultation with the
Rev. Mr.. Wayland OF the Baptist
church at Broad and Arch streets, and
with others of the clergy, and they
agree with me that the dancing of the
waltz has fully as demoralzing an
effect in its way AS have alcohol and
tobacco in theirs.
"Do you hear many objections to
Waiting nowadays
"Oh, yes, any quantity of them
and think the time is Just right to be-
gin crusade. | don't think my effort
or those of the clergymeD who will take
part in the good work, will have any
immediate effect, but when the people
begin to think, which they viii do when
the subject mas had all the agitation,
they will soon act, and the voluptl. Jus
waltz will soon disappear. Ten or
fifteen years ago the waltz was not so
Oh, ectionable rs at present. Dancers OF
to-day como into altogether too close
contact. In the old time gentleman
merely touched lady's waist, at the
same time holding her right hand in
his left. Now he throws his arm around
her form. pulls her closely to him, as
though fearful Of loosing her, brings her
face in actual contact with his
cheek, and, in word, hugs her. Such
action is altogether too familiar, blu,
still custom and society sanction it
and instead OF improvement fer the
: better, we see, year after year, mark
advance in the improprieties of the
dance. In the old days the waltz was
comparatively modest; now it is Just
the reverse, and the waltz is calculated
to do more injury to the young thar
many of the vices that are preached
against from the pulpit and deeply de
plored in private life" "But suppose
you succeed in abolishing the waltz
, professor, where will you snd any dance
to take its placer" "Well, when the
necessity ARISES a new dance will be
invented that will have all the gliding
grace and the glorious exhiliration o
the waltz without its delirious voluptu
business. My own intention is to substi
tu.e the Minuet de la Ccur,' a dance
introduced by Louis XIV. of France
which kept its place in public esteem
for centuries, but has of late year,
gone completely out of use it was
partially revived in this city in 1876
but was allowed to drop out of fashion
again, principally for the reason that
the ladies and gentlemen who danced
it were compelled by the dictates OIL
fashion to dress in court costume, which
is very expensive, and is at the same
time repuguan. to the fierce republi
canism of Americans. The dance con.
sists of marching, bowling and turning
and develoles all the grace that the
dancers possess. It's great recommends
ton is that il is perfectly modest and
admits of no hugging, such as you sec
much force, professor, with regard &c
the morality of the WALTZ. Do you
speak from personal observation OF
from hearsay?" From personal obser-
Walton. | have made it my practice for
years to attend balls and parties in
order to keep pace in my teaching with
the popular demand. | have no hesita-
ton in saying that attribute much OF
the vice and immortality now prevail
ing to the insidlous influence of the
waltz. This may seem IN overstraining
of the point, but it is my honest con.
victon. | tell you that in the higher
circles young ladies at parties and balls
are absolutely hugged-embraced
| WDulu De 100 weak 10 EXPRESS III
meaning-by men who were altogether
unknown to them before the music for
the waltz began to inspire the toes OF
the dancers. is this pleasant sight to
contemplate? Then is the lower class,
the
LICENSE OF THE DANCE
is much more shocking. | have seen
couples so closely interlocked thai the
face of the man was actually IN CON
tact with that of the pa pitating girl in
his arms. | have seen kisses inter.
changed amid the whlrl Of the mad
dening waltz. The persons interested
in this crusade intend to send circulars
to the leading clergymen and heads OF
the great ecclesiastical organs and in
stitutions Of the United States, and ask
them to aid in the great work. DR..
WaylaLd said he would help us in any
way he could, and promised to write to
Mrs. Gen. Sherman, the authoress of a
book in opposition to Waiting. asking
her assistance. | also wrote to that
lady requesting her advice as to the
\ .,pI,-ct of tho prnaaIo Mro SLn~