The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-24
A DEFENSE Of DANCING.
A Helena Gentleman in Reply to the
Criticisms of the Rev. Mr..
Rollins.
Recreation and Amusement Nee
essary to the Development
of the Young.
Reforms Nav Well be Directed at Some Of
Reforms Nav Well be Directed at Some Of
Its Customs-Its Abolition is
Impossible.

To THE INDEPENDENT: Will You allow
me small space IN your valuable paper for
the purpose of making few unlearned re-
marks with reference to the Rey. Rollins
sermon on dancing. / wish to preface my
general observations OIL THIS subject Ey
stating that what little have to say IS not
il any spirit of antagonism to the reverend
gentleman, with whose sentiments, 30 far
as have read OF heard them, as expoundod
In his excellent Sunday evening lectures.
am generally in perfect accord. His in
dictment OF the dance, however, on the
ground that it 'cndaEgers health, and wan
tonly wastes our resources" and that it is
altogether ''ininical to the social life of
man. seems to me hardly Il fair statement
of the case. II will. think, be generally
conceded that recreation and social amuse-
ments in some form, arc absolutely indis-.
pensable for securing the healthy mental
and physical development of our young
people In these days. 30 ardent is the pur-
suit both of wealth and knowledge, and SO
GREAT the consequent strain upon the ner-
vous system in our schools, colleges, houses
of business, ETC., to enable our youth to
keen pace with the times, that the danger
is rather from stunning the growth of their
faculties by overwhelming; and recreation
of some sort thus becomes more than over
imperative.
The question then becomes, what amuse-
ment is the most generally agreeable ana
attended with the least harm? Now, of all
social amusements with which ! am &C.
ouainted, either i'll England or America,
the dance seems to me the most ancient
and the most natural. l am not u great
lover of dance music. and think 1t Tar IN
ferior, as rule, to our best classical ana
sacred compositions, but l know from ex-
perience that when u lively and spirited
dance tune is started, it creates an almost
irrepresslble tendency Ill young people to
strip the light fantastic And the special
value of the dance IS that, unlike many
modern games, 1t requires no particular ex-
ercise of the mental faculties, and all who
join in its merry whirl can, for the time be-
ing, throw dull care and sorrow to the
winds, and thus enjoy Il complete reiaxa-
ton from that nervous system winch the
complex duties of modern civilization gem
orally impose upon us.
The Rev. Rollins rldicules the idea that
dancing in any way lmparts ease, grace or
elegance in carriage and department, but |
think it unGuestionable that the dance, as
calisthenic exercise. does help to lmpart
these qualities. and artificial qualities, On
the other hand. can be and are acquired
without the help of the dancing master, and
are exhibited at other more so-called re-
spectacle places than the ball room. The
reverend gentleman speaks of dancing as a
''pastime IN which monkeys could be taught
to gyrate more deity than men," Well,
that may be true, ana it Is also true thnt
ridlcule may be employed to make almost
any pursuit appear contemplate; but ask
which, to an impartial observer, would APP
pear the most absurd, the harmonious and
orderly movements OF well-trained dancers
in Il ball room, or the spasmodic antics to
be often seen at a Salvation army parade.
or at camp meeting revival! ! cannot
help thinking that the reverend gentleman
would do more good it, instead of attempt
iny the impossible task of abolishing
dancing altogether, he would use his intlu-
ence III endeavoring to reform some of the
customs IN connection with its practice.
Dancing on smooth floor, III Il well-yen-
tilated room, with good music, and
good company, md at seasonable
houls l bsileve to be an exhilarating and
wholesome amusement for those who like
1t. We know that even the Bible authori-
ties sanctioned II. David danced before
the ark, and Solomon declares (Ecclesias-
t,s. 3D. chapter that there is a season and q
time tor eve v purposo under Heaven-'a
time to weep ana Il time to laugh, time to
mourn and time to uanee."
The evils # some modern dancing seem
to me to be the la!e hours, ill-ventilated
rooms, excessive attention paid to dless
with sometimes lack OF propriety in that
respect) and an ill-assorted company. but
these are evils as liable to creep into n
CnOIcn SOCIAL as lntOa bali room. Referent 0
has been made to the immoralities some
times resulting from the dance. Well, to
the pure all things are pure. and vice versa.
There are some i'll balanced individuals
to whom the study of the t,ne arts. of mu-
SIC, painting or sculpture, becomes a dan
ger and snare. and there WIS a time, not
long since, when, rs We know, music in Il
place of worship was looked upon by some
church pastors as a most corrupt and IN
holy thing. Now it rightly takes its place
as one of the purest and most elevating
gifts from the All-GOod.
Lastly. while have made these rambling
remarks in defense of dancing, may say
that do not dance myself, although the
duties of my profession require me to be
frequently in the ball room. And should
not have ventured thus to intrude upon your
space but for the reason that if these ter
rlbly strong charges against a popular and
long established amusement were to DO
received in silence and provoke no COM
ment, it would seem to indicate on the part
of the reading public either q tacit acquies-
cence in their truth, or absolute indiffer-
ence. neither of which would, think, be
the correct measure of public opinion.
WALTER II. MAX.
North Rodney street. Helena. Dec. 222.