The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
THE DEGENERATED WALTZ.
Assemble ED DANCING TEACHERS
VIEW 1T WIT SADNESS.


-
Il Has Become an obnozieus Remp. They say.
and the ..apielepso Are to Hi~nme-Enorts
to Rescue 1t-ThinEs GOu OuEhtnr 10 DO
In wnitzinE-The Convention at boaton.
Cultivated Boston has been enjoying an
object lesson in grace. The American Society
Of Professors Of Dancing has just held It's
twentieth annual convention there, and through
tho columns Of tho Boston papers has an
nounced It's views and Representations for the
coming year. Among other acts the profes.
sors have handed down all indictment against
the waltz as IL Is now danced. II is, they
solcmnly declare, neither more nor less than
an obnoxious rOmp.
To comprehend with what authoritative
forco this declaration comes, 1t Is necessary to
have an idea of tho geographical extent OF the
society. Its delegates to this convention have
taught and noted the measures Of the waltz in
such centres Of social elegance as Amsterdam,
y. Y; Omaha, Neb. Chicago. Ill.,; Wheeling,
W. Va; New Berlin Centre, \. V; Denver,
Col; Neriden, Conn; Aurora, ILL.,; Auburn,
Mo-: Nashville, Tenn, and Norwich. Conn.,,
and the consensus Of opinion derived from eN'
rerience in those various places Is that the
waltz OF to-day is an obnoxious romp. Either
the dancing public should alter its methods OF
w~altzing, the professors declare, or it should
give ovor that fascinating pastlmo entirely,
and content itself with polite conversation and
playing ring.around-a-rosy. President NJ. b.
Gilbert, who teaches the terpsiChorcan art to
the youth Of Portland, Me-, and has written u
text book upon round dances, had this to say
upon the degeneration Of the waltz:
'The waltz has degencrated only In the posi-
tion in which it is danced by u certain class Of
people. This Is tho class who are guilty OF
affeotation in dancing. They are not con-
fined to any one grade in society, though tho
tendency to take affected, and therefore UNI
graceful. positions in the waltz started with the
'spielcrs.' At nearly all dances now you will
see a young man insist In holding n womRn's
hand up under his left ear. Students seem
especially fond of this absurd position.
This Is the most common of the various false
positions in the waltz. 1t Is the result Of the
man taking the woman's hand with his palm
upward. instead of keeping his palm down
ward and holding her hand lightly in his bent
fingers. The woman's hand should also be
palm downward. With the mans hand up
ward, and the woman's resting on It. tho
natural tendency of the man is to raise his
the woman's hand up alongside his neck in no
time. He may not be conscious OF the impro,
priety of the position, which Is but u natural
The second false pose that wo meet in the
waltz Is the side position, in which the man
the hall. regardless OF the time OF the music.
s snG T y a , SsEy Of ft Rrss eii Snd al rhy sIinlns and t annoy Gy:
be danced
this subject. He said:
THE waltz, as danced now, has become only
a romp, in which a lady is run the length of n
drawing room by her partner and then run
back again. This Is a result OF the twostcp
,Ss1d wi which h,an has ns come n to be S6 80 gnnca na,b shat
but two.step to everything. This will be done
away with very largely. although Inst what
to say until later in the session. There is no
doubt. though, that this Is the most Important
problem with which the convention Is to deal.
In these views the convention heartily con,
CURED. and in the discussion OF the subject
many suggcstions were made which IN may Dc I,
Of dubious walters:
DO not, in waltzing, seize your partner about
separation in the accidents incident to Il ball
room career. but is likely to attract attention
Remember IN ~ cases to keep time with the
music. II your part,ioi fal- :" emulate YOU In
this Rsn gently ut yl hut i ihIr%l iyOs pr flS @ !. st tSc sas RsG of op
Do not rest your chin upon your partner
shoulder. II Is IL handicap for her. and. be
sides. she may jolt and loosen your teeth.
1t is bad form to elevate your partner rlght
scratch your ear diicnsago your, own hand
and do It like a man. 1t !: usual to preface
the W Fsstor T"n iea sy s sSyineii 'E Falling. net let go o,
49,
your partner. 1t is true that she might serve
AS a buffer, but it is easier to pick mp one per
son than two.
Never romp while Waiting. II you need ex
ercise, go out and run around the block,
Do not hold your partner 30 close that sme
cannot get IA full breath. On the other hand
do not push her away rs II under the suspicion
that her corsagc IL full Of hGtpins.
II you are going to waltz. waltz. Don
hop, or two.stcp. or polka. or spiel. OF can.can
Just walt.
Other minor prccepts were given. but these
contain the gist Of Tho terpsichorcan wisdom
Most of the conventions attention was given Il
the waltz. 1t was predicted that the BostoI
dip. II modified, waltz, would he much dancec
this winter. and many rofcssors will teach it
One teacher aroused considerable discussion by
declaring that most of the new dances are sug
gcstcd by children who are learning the time
honored steps.
As | watch the children trying TO learn som,
special dance he said, 81 will sec some chile
trying to learn that dance take some step OF
90 through some motion absolutely incOrrcC
as far as that particular dance is concerned
but full of n novel grace and beauty of its own
That step work out in time into a new feature
Children give us natural motions, and hence
we gain from them fresh ideas which we ncvc
could get from older and more self'consciou