Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-03-14

the knickerbocker-New Kicks and
Glides-Dancing Professors on the
Innovations.
From the New York Sun.
The round dance which Is known as
the Racquet is described in Carriers
Ballroom Guide" AS follows:
Take two long gallop slides, with left
foot on accent, and, as right foot is
| brought up TO left foot for second time,
rest, and hold left foot in air. Repeat
by sliding with right foot, etc.
Mr.. Cartier says that these directions
are simply intended for teaching, and
that when the learner has taught the
movement the foot is not held in air,
but is slid along the floor. However
that may be, the modern method of
dancing the Racquet is something very
different. The slides are made Of great
length, and at the finish there is Wig
orous kick with the free foot This
makes the dancing couple rock ike
small boat in II heavy sea, and gives an
air Of recklessness and abandon to the,
dance, which has brought it into much
dlStaYOr among quiet people. Some
vary the movement by leaping in the
air instead of sliding. AS soon as their
feet touch the floor they kick, tuen
leap again until fatigue compels them to
stop. This shakes down back hair and
disarrauges dress so that the young wo-
man looks as if she had come out of
rough and tumble fight. Quiet couples
have no chance on the floor when race
Quetters are around. They sweep
everything before them like an Ohio
flood, and streW the dancing floor with
debris of torn lace, torn flowers and
broken combs. It leaves the perfor-
merS flushed and GREATNESS, but while
it Lasts there is Il Inaddening excitement
about it that pleases -blooded
Young people. 1t is still to be seen in
all its luNuriancc at fancy dress balls,
and at socibles where the Young folks go
in for tun regardless of appearances.
It is danced in 3-4 time. It took its
name froma popular waltz written Ply
Miss Simmons.
The Society and the Wave are similar
10 the Racquet with this exception that
in the Society, there Is only one glide
and in the wave, or, rs it is sometimes
called, the hnickerbocker, there are
three 2lides. Each end by the kick in
forward foot.
At the recent annual meeting in this
city Of the American Society Of Profess
sors Of Dancing, these dances were de-
nOUnCed in unmeasured terms, and it
was decided that they should not be
taught in any school controlled by MEM
beers Of the society. This society was
formed in January, 1879, with the object
Of securing uniformity in dancing all
over the United States. Its intention
was to discourage extraVagent dancers
and 10 teach in their per fecttOn the
dances IN common use. It was found
that people had dozen different ways
of dancing the quadrille and lancers,
and that confusion frequently arose. At
present there are forty members in the
society, of whom nearly all belong out
Of the city. At their annual meetings
in this city new dances are discussed
figures are settled, and lessons are given
by experienced teachers TO the country
dancing masters. 1T the last meeting it
was decided to teach 10 new dances.
The members Of the society who have
schools in this city are l.. De &. Brookes,
y. B. De Garme, r. s. Mamie and H.
F. II, Rivers. ". B, De Garme is the
President, 9. Fl. Rivers, of Brooklyn, the
Secretary, and Joseph T. Martin, of
Brooklyn, the Treasurer. Four OF the
members are women. Mr.. De Garme
said yesterday that the Racquet, the So
ciety, the Wave and similar dances were
burlesQue on a graceful dance which was
introduced by the society in 1879. This
was the RedoWa Glssade, described as
follows:
Glide left feet to second position; draw
right foot to first position, raise left foot
to second and leap upon it bringing it up
to the right foot displacing the latter
turning-tWo giides to LETT redowa Gas
first) to LETT, then redowa oright-turn-
ing glisade to right; redo ia to right, and
so on. 1t is danced to waltz or galop
music.
This was exaggerated into swaying and
kicking, and the result was that the leg
itimate dance was killed by the bur
lesque. Now neither is taught by many
dancing masters The society denounced
the racquet and several other dances
from the start and the bad dances
lived while the good one died.
NJ. De Garme said that the round
dance now most in vogue is the glide
waltz, described as follows:
Glide backward with left foot, at the
same time bend both knees a.; draw
right foot, nearly to third position in
front, the weight still on left foot (2);
rise and pivot upon the heel of the
backward foot, the toe Of the other
foot skimming the floor (3); glide for
ward with right bending left knee a.;
glide left foot (the heel raised) to second
position ~; privot upon the balls of
both feet and draw right foot to first
position (Gl. Recommence by gliding
backward with left foot, and continue
with the movement as described until
the movement becomes steady and I'M
broken.
To reverse. The gentleman viii glide
left foot forward to fourth position
bending right knee) %; glide foot
(heel raisedJ to second position 81;
pivot upon the ball Of both feet and
draw left foot to first position (3) glide
backw ward with right (bendingl a.; draw
left foot nearly to third position in front
(the weight still on right foot t5); rise
and pivot Ito the lef) upon the heel of
the backward foot 81.
The glide, the common waltz, and La
Russo are the only waltzes, taught by the
cnciatU 7 q Russo consists of two pIlueS