Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-06

Philadelphia Dancing Master He.
Iates Els observations of IL

Areporter Of the Philadelphia Press recently
interviewed one of the leading professors of the
terpsichorean art In that city upon the subject
of Waiting. The professor said:
"Ten or fifteen years ago the waltz was not
so Objectionable as at present. Dancers of to-
day come into altogether too close contact In
the old time gentleman merely touched a
lady's waist, at the same time holding her right
hand in his left. Now, he throws his arm clear
around her form, pulls her closely to him, as
though fearful of losing her. brings his face into
actual contact with her soft cheek and, in a
word. hugs her. Such action is altogether too
familiar, but still custom and society sanction
IT. and instead of improvement for the better,
we see year after year marked advance in the
lmproprieties OF the dance. In the old days the
dance was comparatively modest; now it Is just
the reverse, and the waltz is calculated to do
more injury to the young than many Of the
vices that are preached against from the pulpit,
| and deeply deplOred i'm private llfe"
You speak with much force, professor with
regard to the morality OF the waltz. Do you
speak from personal observation or from hear
say?"
'From personal observation. 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 hesitation
in saying that l attribute much of the vice and
immortality now prevailing to the insidious in
HueuCcs Vi Tie WdiIZ Ibis may seem an over
strainng of the point, but it is my honest con-
viction. l tell you that in the higher circles,
young ladies at parties and balls are abso-
lutely hugged-embraced would be too weak to
express my meaning-by men who were en-
tirely unknown to them before the music tor
the waltz began to inspire the toes of the
dancers. Is this pleasant sight to contem-
plate?
''Then, in the lower classes. the license of the
dance is much more shocking. 1 have seen
couples so closely interlocked that the face of
the man was actually i'm contact with that of
the palpitating girl In his arms. / have seen
kisses interchanged amid the whirl of the mad
dening waltz,
There are six dances now I'm vogue that in
vOlve the hugging principle of the waltz. They
are the plain waltz, which was introduced bv
the Germans (whO seldom. by the way, take
part in square dance; the glide very fash
l0nable and pretty dance the redowa, which has
held its own for many generations of dancers
the Danish (half march and half waltz and the
three-step galCp. l entered upon the crusade
first, because thought the waltz an immoral
dance. and. second, because the cergymen
whom consulted thought military steps i'm the
matter should be taken by member of the pro-
fession most deeply Interested"
The professor, in conclusion said that the
waltz step is in itself unobectionable, but that
the clOseness of the partners as the dance is
now practlsed. is worthy of strong cOndemna-
ton. He suggests that the waltz step be retained
but that the partners be widely separated by a
very simple eXpedient. This is to cross and
join the hands. A possible objection to this is
that 1t will not afford to the lady that sense of
support and protection that is derived from the
pressure OF her partners arms about her waist