The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-12-09
DANCING.
Why Do People Devote So
Much Time to It?
A Criticism on the Modern Dance
and Its Tendencies.


opened, and it will not be many
moons ere fair percentage OF all the
dudes and other things who imagine
themselves ornaments in our "best
society" will yawn over the counters
and tell their friends of the jolly time
they had the night before; of the peo-
pie they met; of the conquests they
(imagined) made. and a good deal OF
other stuf thrown in. II there is one
place above another in the world
where dancing is carried to exceas.
that place is here in Salt Lake, es.
pecially during the winter season. or
the colder months. | am aware OF
the fact that in expressing this
opinion l attach myself to the mi
nerity side of the question. and lay
myself open to the charge OF being d
chronic growler, an unsocisbIe
wretch, or 8 person with no regard
for any ones feelings or rights but
my own. Let all this be true, and
yet it does not disprove anything.
Dancing has come down TO US
from past generations. and it has
been form of amusement since the
time when the mind of man runneth
not to the contrary; it is claimed by
it's devotees to be co.eyal with music
and other arts; and certainly music
and dancing have always been closely
allied. "The dance" is mentioned
in the Scriptures; has been told in
prose and verse. and is INDUCED in
in some form or other, in nearly all
countries, civilized and uncivilized.
In older times dancing constituted
part of the ceremonies used to COM
victories in war; and was
looked upon as being indispensable
and necessary. 1t was o species of
rejoicing. and as such was used as
any other ceremony would have been.
Perhaps in those "good old days"
such a ceremony, and the manner
in which it was conducted, was all
right and proper, and it must be re.
that it is but q few years
back when most people did not dance
themselves. but paid other people to
10 it fer them, and who can say, bat
hat there was more genuine sense in
hose days than now? When dancing
10 general was an art (for I claim that
i is not now. and has long been de-
graded apd humbled) in the older
lays, things were carried on very
differently. There was some dignity
and majesty about it. But now.
shades of the heroes and heroiues
appear Come down from your
classic pedestals and gsze into ball
:oom full of even the best and more
intelligent portion of the community.
Gaze a moment on the sweltering,
'weating crowd of bowling and scrap
ng humanity. Where is the grace,
dignity, or majesty that should chars-
,terize the devctees OF Terpi-
Ichore? Is there any grace in
he couple that has just passed? Is
here any dignity? Is there any
majesty? If 80. is it in the long train |
leld up over the arm, in order to |
,e kept away from the nimble feet of |
he male biped? Or is it concealed |
n the tails OF that cut-a-wsy coat,
hat float out at an angle of IS de.
,rees? And the couple just mention.
ID are not exceptionally noticeable.
1ook at any; look at all Is there any
race, any dignity, anything majestic
bout the entire proceedings? Isl
hers not more dignity in the old bass
iol growing on the platform than
mong all the dancers? But" SAYS
ny friend, ''you will not denv that
here can be grace-tnere can be
'oetry of motion among dancers?'
ID, yes; there can be; there should
confound it. there isn't.
That is were the trouble begins.
trace? You might "a well look fer
/ among procession of hod.carrieys
DING up stairway, as in the average
Dignity? You will find
Is much among a herd of sheep or
attle Majesty? bah The average
'all-room has degenersted into no.
hing but q nursery for "children OF
. larger growth" where games are
ndulged in and liberties allowed to
'ttempt which, under other ciroum-
tances. and without the music &C.
compartment, would lay one liable
o a very severy drubbing, at least.
N the part of lover, e brother, or |
. husband. and justly, too. Preiu-
Iced D.? Oh, no; only g knowledge
hat l have gained from a study OF |
he question. We all remsmbe
he stately "ootillion" of the years |
zone by, and it cannot be denied but |
here was some dignity, at least, in
hat, when all the performers went
trough their movements with de-
Enthusiastically expression on
heir faces. But that "old fopy
lance" is out of date now. People
EARN for something more exciting,
nd the modern dances furnish it.;
ach year sees changes in the fashion
BILE iomps. and every change CT
improvement" only make them the
nore hideous, degrading and dis.
usting, until now they have reached
point from whioh it seems i'm pos
ible to proceed much further with.
ut the devotees of the art (thst was)
,sing all self-reapect and decenoy.