Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-26
GIRLS AND DANCING.
xAxroH HARIANp oHfHs INrLuEEcEs
or THE BALLROOM.
old-rims prsjudicss Against Dancing How
Girls should Dress in the Ballroom
An Interesting Talk to rerpsi-
chorean pevotees.
trOr the Dispa,ch--copyrisnied, 1881

chorean pevotees.
tror the pispasch--Copyrighied 1881
In DAYS that arc hardly yet "yore. '
but rather of middle age, good people
in and out of the pulpit preached
against dancing as a sin per Sc.
When committed by church-members
II called for the descending arm of dis
cipline in strokes as heavy as If the
offence were against section OF the deca-
locue. Sermons, tracts, and oral homi-
lies dealt with the amusement as with
An agency subversive OF morality and
decency. envy, wrath, malice, and all
uncharitableness" got the go-by when
once the criminal recreation was named
or defended. l have said that COM
municants in Christian churches were
disciplined IL they SO much as walked
through set to ill out quadrille or CO.
tillion. Sometimes they were indicted
before minor ecclesiastical courts for al
lowing informal carpet dances in their
houses, and at least one Presbyterian
elder of note was cited for suffering his
children to dance. Proving contuma-
cious to the reprimand administered for
the offence, he was deposed from his Of
fee and denied the right to "communi-
cate" until he gave token of repentance.
We are far enough from this middle
age to get full outline, proportions,
aud perspective of what is no longer a
disputed subject Those OF us who
shared in the prejudices instilled by
Church and churchmen can testify to
the sincerity that made that prejudice
principle. We ourselves were firmly and
conscientiously opposed 20 dancing.
discriminate and indiscriminate set our
faces with pietistic fiintiness against
dancing. schools saw in the waxed floors
Of the ballroom a slippery decline Aver
nusward.
WHERE THE LINE WAS DRAWN.
CHANGING one Sunday morning, thirty
FIVE wears ago. to walk behind two
"ladies of color" Respondent in the tu-
lipiferous bravery Of their church-clothes,
Ioyerheard this dialogue:
Brer' Ryland" Qong the faithful
white pastor OF the First African church
in Richmond, Va, "war' might s'yere
non da-a-ancin' Chrishtyuns, s mawnin'.
n Wit we do read n de Bible s how de
a-a-ngils n heaben does da.a-nce befo'
de Lawd ?"
"Dats true, Sis 'Melyl But de
a-a-ngils don cross deg feet Dat
make de diArrunce tween holy n
onrighteous da-a-ncin'. Crossin' de
feet IS whar de sin come in
At our calm distance from the dead
and-gone issue, we can see no more valid
reason for condemning the measured
beat of heel and toe to merry music III
good company and IN good hours than
for prohibiting the rhythmic stroke of
soldiers feet in "marking time on
parade. The difference as expounded
by dignifed divines and sanity women
resolves itself into something so analo-
gous to our colored sisters distinction as
to reduce the whole argument to an alb
surdity. The wickedness of dancing is
no longer insisted upon by any who are
not fanatics or fools. The expediency of
the amusement in certain aspects, doubt
ed by fair-minded and thoughtful people
of former generation, is still in some
minds an unsettled question.
AS AN EXERCISE.
The healthiness of the practice comes
naturally into prominence in series OF
articles ON girls, and matters pertaining
TO them. The devotees of Terpsichore
consider this point triumphantly dis
posed of when the ballroom Is COM
pared to the gymnasium-so manifestly
are the advantages of the two modes of
exercise with the first-naIned. The
reaching, lifting, and swinging required
in the latter often overtax boys and men,
and are condemned by able physicians
as the origin of many serious disorders
from which women are lifelong sufferers.
The action required by the liveliest waltz
is gentler, and has the further recon-
mendation of being so far voluntary that
one can abridge it without transgression
of rules.
That girls and boys do overtrain them
selves more or less in ambitious gym
nastic and calisthenic exercises is a
serious fact. If they brought to these
bodies equipped as for the ballroom
permanent injury, if not death, would
be the almost certain result. If, instead
of the binding corsage, voluminous
skirts, and tight shoes she wears IN the
CAV throng of evening, the girl would
devise costume for such occasions that
should leave lungs and heart as free to
act as does the plant jersey suit hanging
on her nail in the gymnasium wardrobe,
she might Yaunt the superiority of the
exercise she loves above that performed
by rule and measure for mere physical
development.
THE MODERN EVENING DRESS.
What enemy of race dependent for
stamina and stability upon the health of
its women invented and ordained our
evening dresses ;" / sketch one of
nine, setting off, not enveloping, thatnum-
Der Of inane-looking damosels pressed fat
on a fashion-plate OF recent date. The
material of our Glove of a gown" is
white satin, overland with tulle. The
long-pointed bodice-what there is of
it-fits like a kid glove f; wreath of
roses fast on the left shoulder droops low
below the bust until it finds safe lodg-
ment on the protuberant right hip.
Folds of tulle meeting the garland, in
"surplice" style far below the breast
bone. are confined on the right shoulder
by bow of ribbon. Sleeves there are
none, uUleoS the ODoOictC oiIOACo oAO III
dicated by the said bow on one shoulder
and the flowers on the other. The V
shaped exposure of the chest is cor
roborated at the back by pyramidal
(inverted) vacancy between the shout
der-blades, which has the spinal
column as a visible centre. Long
gloves strain, in paroxysmal modesty,
to reach the ribbon knot and roses,
and fail by four inches of tender flesh.
II is winter, and undervest of merino or
sanitary flannel was stripped from Shout
ders, chest, and arms before the wearer
"dressed" for the ball. She lie padded
and pinioned. and her skirts are tied
painfully back over steel ribs that out
bear satin and tulle train.
sIPPISG POISONED AIR.
In this rig" cribbed, cabined, and
confined "--she is to enjoy invigorating
exercise, the poetry Of motion, in
room heated by furnace, gas. and
crowd OF steaming human bodies the
modicum Of air for which her stays leave
room in her lungs will be bresthed fifty
times over before her turn comes. Some