The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-13
The Waltz Exposed by one VINO
Earns His Living by Teaching IL

he Waltz ExpoSco " VIZ "
Earns isLiving by Teaching IL
Professor James p. WEIGH, who keeps
= dancing-scnool at Tenth and Chestnut
streets IS about to begin q crusade
against the waltz as TT present danced,
which he p~rouounces to he lmmodest,
vrlgar. and generally demnraiiztng. de
.aid Yesterday: Il have been u dancing
master for the past ten years, and have
made il a practice throughout tina; peri.
cd TO observe carefully all the chapgrS IN
the public taste, and to note the chan
yes for better or worse in my profession.
1 have watched closely ami thought
deeply on the subject, and now | have
no hesitation iu saying that the waltz
under whatsoever name 1t may 20 ioI TIA.
present. is immoral. Ii is the on's dance
that decen: people protest against, and |
am happy to say that there still emai
numbers of careful fathers who Will not
allow their daughters 10 dance il. al
though q vast proportion of the fashion
able and a majority OF the mlidie and
lower classes do not seem as yet ava
kened to its lniqulty.
do you hear many objections to
waltzino ~nOwadaysF
Oh, yes. any quantity of them. and
think the time is right to begin a cru
SADIE. don't think my efforts or those
of the clergyman who will take part in
tie good work will have any immediate
effect, but when the people begin t.
think. which they will do when the sub
ject has had a little agitation, they VIII
soon act, and the voluptuous waltz will
gradually disappear. Ten or fifteen years
ago the waltz was not so Objectionable
as ut present. Dancers of to day come
in altogether too close contact. In the
old time a gentleman merely touched a
lady's waist, at the same time holding
her right hand within his left. Now he
throws his arm clear around her form,
pulls her closely to him. as though fear
full of loosing her, brings his face into
actual contact with her soft cheek, and,
in a word hugs her. Such actions is al
together too familiar, but still custom
and society sanction it., and instead OF
improvement for the better, we see year
after wear u marked advance in the impro-
p~rieties of the dance. La the old days the
waltz was comparatively modest; now It
is lust the reverse, and the waltz is cal
culated to do more injury tc the young
than many OF the vices that arc preached
against from the pulpit and deeply de-
p.ored 10 private life"
but suppose you succeed in abolish
ing the waltz, professor, where will you
find 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 exhil-
zl.Lo ,r,lto ,b.nf rfO loir,n,c
righteousness. My own intention is to
substitute the ''Minuet de la Cour, > a
dance introduced by Louis XIV, OF France,
which kept its place In puollc esteem for
centuries, but has of late years gone COM
pletely out of use. 1t was partially re-
vived in this city III 1876, was allowed to
drop out of fashion again, principally
because the ladies who danced 1t were
compelled by the dictates of fashion to
dress In court costume, which Is very ex
pensive, and is at the same line repug
nant to the free repubiicanism OF Amer
cans. The dance consist of marching,
bowling and turning, and developes all the
graces that the dancers possess. Its great
recommendation is that it is perfectly
modest, aud admits of no hugglng such
as we see nightly in the waltz
"You speak with much force, prOfes-
sor, with regard to the morality Of waltz.
Do you speak from personal observation
or from heresay."
From personal observation. l have
made it my practice in order to keep pace
IN my teaching with the popular demand.
[ have no hesitation In saying that at
tribute much Of the vice and immortality
now prevailing to the insidlous influences
of the waltz. This may seem an over
st~raining of the point, but it Is my honest
conviction. [ tell you that in the higher
circles, young ladies at parties and balls
are absolutely hugged-embraced would
be too weak to express my meaning-by
men who were entirely unknown to them
before the music for the waltz began to
inspire the toes of the dancers. Is this
pleasant sight to contemplate!
Then in the lower classes, the license
of the dance is much more shocking. /
nave seen couples so closely lnterlockeo
10 contact with that Of the palpitatlne
girl in his arms. | have seen kisses In.
terchanged amid the whirl OF the mad
dening waltz.
There are six dances DOW in vogue
that involve the hugging principle Of the
waltz, which was introduced by the Ger
mans twho seldom, by the way, take part
in square dances) the glide, a very fashion
able and pretty dance the Redowa, which
has held its own for many generations OF
dancers the Danish halt march and hal
waltz, and the three-step gallop, l enter
ed upon the crusade, first, because
thought the waltz an immoral dance, and
second, because the clergymen whom |
consulted thought military steps in the
matter should be taken by a mem
Der Of the profession most deeply interes
ted"
Prot WEIGH, in conclusion, said that
the waltz step is in itself unobjectionabIe,
but that the closeness OF the partners, al
the dance is now practiced, is worthy OF
strong condemnation. He suggests that
the waltz step be retained, but that the
partners be widely separated by a very
simple %expedient. This is to cross anu
join the hands.-Phila. Press.
What is the difference between
A nabob and a zany?'
Inquired u youth who thought, ween