Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-04
THE RICHMOND D1spArCH-sUNDAY FEBRUARY 4. 1894.


The small beau who makes his bow In
the dancing room AT the afternoon parties
wears an equally picturesque costume. At
the tender age OF , or 4 the masculine
form IL not required TO be attred 20 con,
ventionally AK later on. and one little
swell pay wear n dainty blouse OF
white batiste or lawn, with lace-trimned
RULES and sailor collar and deep cuffs
edged with wide lace which falls over
the short square jacket OF black or dark
blue velvet. The Killed skirt is OF white
corded silk, and the stockings are black
SIX. and the dancing-shoes are Of patent
leather
colonial suits OF the velveteen with tight
breeches to the knees and a coat OF elgh-
teenth century style. prettily braided. Is
worn with waIstcoat and lace crayat
This winter the little lads are wearing
trousers at a much younger age than
usual. Several tots have appeared In
Knee breeches at the early age OF years.
These breechcs are very short, reaching
an inch above the knee
Black and blae velveteen are much
worn. Wide collars OF very handsome
and heavy Venetian guipurc are consider
cd THE thing" with silk, muslin. or lawn
shirts.
Fancy styles are favored for the little
chaps, such rs braided Jackets gilt but
tons, and silver buckles on the shoes,
which are not considered DC riguour
few years later when all the severity OF a
mans attire IS expected I'm the dress Of a
boy. and for q lad of ~ or L. the COnven-
tional evening suit Is copied exactly. but
ton-hole bouquet Included. At afternoon
dances the cutaway suit is worn By older
boys.
\ DANCING-MASTER'S LECTURE.
In the dancing schools. where the chill
drcn really go to learn TO dance, all the
attention Is directed TO the lesson. and
very Nttle TO the costumes.
They are told to wear their fiat-heeled
shoes. Take off those h!gh-heeled slip
pers." insisted Mr. MacGregor. dancing
master at the Mcndelssohn club school.
"lf YOU come here again with such SHY
shoes III cut the heels of myself. How
DO you suppose" h. continued. you can
practice so long in such tight shoes? Inc
muscles won't stand IL. No wonder you
fan over. your feet and yrur ankles turn.
Don't you know IL Is hard work to learn
to dance right? 1t strains all your mus
clcs at first. and you cannot learn pro-
perry in high heels"
These remarks were addressed to
young miss OF u. whose shapcly liInhs
and feet were cncascd in handsome black
silk stockings and high-hoeled Frcnch
shippers. much 30 her own satisfaction.
There were q dozen or two OF inc cI'n-
dren of all ages learning the first steps,
Numbering and slipping, out Of tine ana
line Int all irving very hard TO follow
the light. graceful movements OF me
Professor. wn. patiently drilled them over
and over a. h.c,
Each one held a rod across the back
to keen them erect. and they hoppcd ana
jumped over the slippery floor Ike io'
of awkward young chickens. .....,
Each child made her little courtesy an
how as she entered the ballroom ana Inc
manners Of the lads ana thelr poC7 WIZ
a. elegant as possible. III
The punctil0us etiquette - the pai-
room is preserved at these lessons ne
child is taught from the first day thal
d,pcing-room manners are different from
any others. All the little formalitieS are
observed The gravity Of the occasion =
insisted upon There Is no swaNlng ap"H'
or careless carriage. The chiidl'h ar
taught to walk across the moor "I'h"u'
self-consciousness to slide, to hop. TO run
All with ease. but with the slight restraint
and blase bearing that is considered the
HEIGHT Of aristocratic breeding. NO IA
miIiarity and no laughter or hilaflty' 1t
&c all business here, the pleasure comes
afterward at the organized Glasses.
The piano Is pounded in perfect time.
and the "one. two. three. rum. tuln'
Of the waltz time commences. ana III,
little feet get hopelessly tangled up ana
the professor hurries 10 the rescnc.
Simple little frocks are worn 10 thrSe
lessons. the brave hnery previously d'-
scribod IS reserved for the days when me
little wearers can go through quadtlh'
or A waltz with almost as mpch accu-
racv as the younger set themselves.
The mothers and friends sit around the
wall of the handsome ballroom IN Wnlch
the lesson IS given and laugh little slyly
AZ the comic efforts Of their offspring 10
ACQUIRE grace and dignity Of BEARING.
STYLE AND MANNER.
"Do YOU teach the children fancy
dances" / inquired Of the professor:
'No. that Ia all out Of fashion. They
used TO learn the Highland FIng ana the
Cachnea. and Varsorcnne, and all the
rest Of them. but unless child Is gong
into Il special fete where she - TO per
form before pcople. we never teach them.
.Jt Is enough now 10 learn the fashion,
able steps and the way TO act ana look.
There is certain style and manner when
We try To teach that Is more important
than fancy dances Fancy dances belong
to the ballet school. Social dancing Is
another thing"
what steps do you teach for the CO.
tiliOn; ! asked -,
"Oh. the two-stcp. chiefly. They viii
dance it to everything. We cannot stop
il Then The modified glide waltz as !
call it. is much danced. II Is different
from the old glide waltz and is danced
more on the bah of the foot. Then they
10 the polka and the York.
In England. you know he continued.
they never reverse In the waltz bHt
they dance IA "A regular way around the
outer edge Of the room American
.lancers 20 anywhere and every way IT
pIeases them-'craZy walters, the Eng
fish call us. and We have 10 reverse to
make the way
How are the cotillon figures origi-
natcd?" | asked. thinking Of the many
new ones that are always springing up a.
the latest fads
Usually in the leaders BRAIN he an
swered. They take any old game. Co
penhagen.' for instance, with the kisSinc
part left out. or clap in and Clap out
or mild Blind Mans Buff and dance II
10 time with lot OF pretty trinkets ana
flowers to give to ones partners. We
teach the children in the same way. 10y
taking a childish game which they know
and dancing 1t To music
The "Cinderela dance" is the name OF
the small and early dancing parties
now in vogue. They begin AT an cary
hour. and close promptly at midnight
The "after-dinner dance is considered
the most attractive of all the winters
entertainment, and on the occasion OF
this function dinner parties are given
by many of the guests as II As the
hostesses' own dinner, and later all the
merry throng adjourn To the residence
APPOINTED for the cotillon. These gay
parties are often tax n by their host in
the large theatre wagons, which hold ten
people like Il stage.
The same comfortable kind Of carry-all
often conveys the infantile aristocrats In
groups TO their afternoon dances, where
they are carefully escorted and cared FOR
by their parents and maids. who see that
no point OF etiquette or propriety Is over
looked JtANNEI l Il HALF
TO BE LIGHTHOUSE CUSTODIAN.
t,,.liconfs fn he pO.itipn-MaN