Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-09-07
Tho Waltz.
IT'S IMMORTALITY DENOUNCED by ONE
WHO EARNS HIS LIVING by
TEACHING IT---IIIS REASONS
FOR HIS CHANGE OF
FAITH.

FAllII
Prof. j. p. Welch, who keeps dancing
school ut Tenth aud Chestnut streets, is
about to begin crusade against the waltz
US at present danced, which ho pronouu,cs
to be immodest, vulgar and generally
dcmoralizing. lIc said yesterday: I'll have
been dancing master for the past ten
years, and have made it practice through
out thut period to observe carefully all the
changes in the public taste, and to note
the changes for better or worse in my pro.
fesson. | have watched closely aud
thought deeply on the subject, and now |
have no hesitation in saying that the waltz,
under whatsoever nauc it may go for tho
time being, is Immoral. 1t is the only
dance that decent people protest against,
aud am happy to say there arc numbers
of careful fathers who will not allow their
daughters to dance it, although vast pro
portion OF tho fashionable and Il majority
OF the middle aud lower classes do not seem
awakened to its niquity. l have recently
been ia consultation with the Rev Mr..
Wayland Of the Baptist Church at Broad
aud Arch streets, aud with others of the
clergy. and they agree with me that the
dancing Of The waltz has fully us demoral-
| izins All effect n'ts way as have alcohol
| and toAncco N heirs"
"Oo'you hear many objections to waltz
ing nowadaysl"
"Oh, yes, any quantity of thom-and |
think the time is right to begin crusade.
don't think my efforts or those of the
clcrgymcn who will tako part in the good
work will have any immediate effect, but
c!,nn No, 81, ,,,1, II.
they will do when tho subject has had
little agitation, they vii. soon act and the
voluptuous waltz will gradually disappear
Ten or fifteen years ago tho waltz was not
SO Objectionable as at present. Dancers of
to day como into altogether too close con.
tact. In the old time gentleman merely
tonchcd lady's waist, at the same timc
holding her right hand i'll 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 in actual con
tact with her soft check, and in word hugs
her. Such action is altogether too familiar,
but still! custom aud society sanction it,
and instead Of Improvement for tho better
we see year after year II marked advance in
the mproprctics of the dance In tho old
days the waltz was comparatively modest;
now IL is just the reverse, and the waltz is
calculated to do mcrc Injury to the young
than many Of tho vices that arc preached
against from tho pulpit and deeply dcplored
in private life"
'But suppose you succeed in abolishing
tho waltz, Professor, where will you find
any dance to take its plaoc?"
"Well when tho necessity arises now
dance will bo Invented that will have all
the gliding grace and the glorious oxhiIar-
alton of tho waltz without its dclirions
vo!uptiousncss. My own intention is to
substitute the 'lluct de la Cour' dance
introduced by Louis XIV Of France,
which kept its place in public esteem for
centuries, but has of late years gone com
plotoiy out of use 1t 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 gentlem On
who danced it were compelled by the die
tatca Of fashion to dress in court costume,
which is expensive, and aS The sans time
rcpugnant to tho rcpablicansm of Amcri-
cans. The dance consists of marching,
bowling and turning, and develops all the
grace that the dancers possess. Its recon
mendation is that it is perfectly modest
and admits of no hugging, such as We see
nightly in tho waltz"
"You speak Sith much force, Professor,
with regard to the morality Of tho waltz
DO you speak from personal observation or
hearsay%'
"lfrom personal observation. have
made it my practice for years to attend
balls and parties in order to keep pace 10
my teaching with tho popular demand
| have no hesitation in saying that [ at.
tribute much of the vice and immortality now
prevailing to the iusidious influence of tho
waltz This may seem au ovcrstraning of
the point, but it is my honest conviction
[ tell you that in the higher circles young
ladies at parties aud balls arc absolutely
huugcd embraced would DC too we,k to
express my mcaning-by men who were
altogether unkoown to them before the
music for the waltz bcgau to inspire the
toes Of the danccrs. Is this u pleasant
sight to contemplate?
"Thcn, in the lower classcs tho license
OF tho dance is much moro shocking.
have seen couples SO closely intcrlockcd
that the face of the man was actually in