The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-23

There are a multi tide or new cor. b.. iOsls
Every teacher q GaH eng devlses new COM
hirnGIons and frequently yoC see them ad-
ve-;isad as new dance. bu1 they are nor,
aud # tbey were, society might not accept
! them Changes in 0cisty dancing c0sue
I about very slowly aud indirectly. They
/ originate WITH the children, who,
learning a new c1mbinatio9-as the
pupils n cur schcgl have been
learning the new York" aud the
cadet polka tsis winter-go down to the
seaside or up 10 .h9 mountains IN the sum
mer. and dance their new dances there in
tie presence CT their elders. The new
movements are noted by the really good
! dancers, wha are quick TO adopt them, and
( thus gradually tire aew danca Is ntr1duced
! into society. Bus it IS usually at least two
! years, and frequently longer, after a new
{ dance IS devise before society adopts il, if
! indeed it de igns to notice it al ali.
! Children should begin learning to dance
not later than the fifth year Tho teacher
! should be carefully selected by the parents,
/ and when he IS once placed in charge OF tho
I little one implicit confidence. should be re-
! posed il him. IL is a mistake t. interfere
with him and attempt to dictate how he
I shall teach the child. Some little ones
learn RAPIDLY, and Others seem to find
it a harder task; with some graceful
motions apparently come naturally.
There are children, too, who show clever
cannot acquire the art of making those
motions gracefully. The finest illustration
OF true dancing IS where natural grace has
been cultivated by art. a graceful motion
produces gracicusness of unanCer and polite
ness, and this is whas tue teacher strives to
impart 10 every chic under his care.
There are many people who soem 10 think
that it is a simple matter to teach child to
dance. To such it does not occur that this
aec0mp ishment is really part Of the moral
as well as the physical education Of the
child. For Uhere are certainly moral aid
III ellectual qualities to be developed by it,
just Us there are in other branches of edu-
cation. IL influences the character very
largely. There is certainly 10 prettier pic
tura than one sees ON catering a room where
a number Of children are moving about
wish educated gracelulDess and with
that politeHess toward each other that
is the mark of true breeding. The younger
the caildrea, the more pleasing; for when
the art has been neglec ed until the growth
is nearly complete, there is almost always
embarrassment and awkwardness in the
presence Of Strangers. Angularity, which
is a habit more than a natural defornity
when neglected until the child is about IA,
may be overcome i'll the case OF girls, but
rarely where boys are concerned. Even
with The best advantages, girls can only &C
complish it with great effort
motions. They are like the alphabet. One
must learn his letters before he can read or
write. so in dauciug o mus learn the
radical movements, a ID these learned, he
can easily acquire the different combina-
tons which are called dances, the waltz,
the polka, the schottische, and the rest being
formed out of THESE radical motions, Just as
the English language is formed out OF the
letters Of the alphabet
What society should strive to do is TO
dance well the dance it does favor 1t is
impossible to dance well If the cadence Ct
the music is not followed implicitly, and
this man cannot do who has o ear for
music. In round dances it is not sufficient
merely to follow the time correctly; there
should be compiete surrender 10 the music.
1t is not only N the round dances tha5
this complete surrender and implicit obedi-
ence TO the music must be observed; there
IS not step, nor movement, or a saluta-
ton in any square dance that should be
executed other wise than on the correspond
ing beat OF the music. know of nothing
more awkward, and, to the sensitive
dancer, more embarrassing than the ending
OF figure by a set or q couple after the
music has stopped and all the other couples
have stopped dancing.
Ny pupils and, think, those of every
accredited teacher in this city, are taught
to dance by the music without prompting;
bLS ddANdIQlESS Oh uUStLilUl dE9Qus end q
ings to square dances and mechanical mo
notony in round dances can be avoided in no
other way.
Correct position is an absolute essential to
ease and grace in dancing. There are sew
eral things to be avoided; the extending of
the arm like pump handle; the cutching
of the gentleman'S right arm by the lady's
ward and the standing too straight,
and above all, the holding of the
partner too close, which is vul-
gar and ungraceful and wholly condemned
by good society. The correc5 position is
ii matter of more than instruction, it is al
most an ipstinctof good breeding. The left
hand of the lady rests lightly in that Of her
partner and drops naturally at the left sds,
while tie gentIeman's right hand, placed at
the waist, affords the firm but gentle sup
port essential to good dancing aQd good
guidance. lu this position each will look
over the Others shoulder; but there should
be no resting of the lady's head on the
shoulder of her partner nor burying OF her
ringlets on the bosom of his shirt This
position is perfectly modest. There is no
| more contact Of person than in a lady's TAX
ing genIemans arm fer a promenade,
There are several arbitrary rules for
round dancing Always maintain proper
| attitude Disguise all effort. An extended
leg must not be bent. Bend only the knee
from which motion is made. When NOV
| lng the feet let the legs pass close together.
Keep the heels about half an inch from the
| floor. Ii rising, allow the heel TO, be the
last part of the foot TO leave the floor.
| When descending allow it to be the first to
touch. Endeavor to keep the feot at right
angles all the time.
These are only suggestions. Gracefulness
| must be learned from example.
I. GEO. DODwoRTH.
A ST. PAThICk,s CELEBRATION