The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-28
&n1ietn Topi1s.

I As To De QQpeu nowhere else, ~ ptcuifdt
enough and ungraceful enough to make
one wonder in what uncivilized
ity 1t has been picked up or by what
most questionable dancing master 1t has
been taught. 1t seems incredible h a
any dancing master with any regard for
his reputation would teach such In un-
graceful and Homogeneous style OF dane
ing. Anyone watching the young people
of this city at one of their dances and
observing them in the mazes would ut
terly fail to see any poetry in their mo-
tion. There la been two Objectionable
styles now which are most displeasing to
the eyes of any one whp has ever seen
good dancing elsewhere. The first and
least hideous Is what is commonly called
'pumpIhandle dancing This is entirely
a fault of the arms. 1T consists In a
frantic waving up and doWn of the out
stretched arms after the manner of a
country pump handle. The man addicted
to this vice goes dancing about the bali
room with the girls hand. that hand
which was once held out gracefully n
easily, grasped hard in his, raising 1t and
lowering 1t at each count of the music,
sometimes o~ftener. until lookers-on Won
der If her arm does not ache in the
socket.
Bad as this is, 1t is not a circumstance
to the frightfully bad taste exhibited in
the other style of dancing, which is, alasl
gaining more and more followers. So short
a time ago as last year two or three men
who attempted to Introduce this ungrace-
full mannerism were laughed at for the
figure they cut. Now their disciples are
legion. No term has as yet been invented
for the posture assumed by these advo-
Gates of the new school. 1t resembles
most nearly the position taken by spielers
and it makes one tremble for the dancing
Of the future. viii spelling supersede
valses and two-steps in high life? There
is in IT ait least the advantage of needing
little space in a crowded bail room. The
position now in favor is in a manner COM
plicated. The mar places his good right
arm in the usual position about the girl.
So far SO good. Her left arm, however,
that once upon a time was gracefully ex-
tended. now occupies various positions.
With his partners hand clutched tightly
in his he puts his hand sriffly up against
his shoulder or his neck and holds 1T in
that uncomfortable position throughout
the dance. 1t was the dance that fol-
lowed the Rutgers Glee Club Concert that
a man well known in social circles here
1eAa LII bftal VI LIS pdIl 1t III
such an exaggerated position that it
caused the remark from on onlooker:-
Isn't tina funny? That man looks as if
he was trying to hold his ear ont" But
the position of the hand is not the only
thing in the case. The men AFFLICTED
will this mania, not content with holding
their arms in unbeautiful sharp angles,
twist and comfort their bodies out of all
semblance of grace. They bend back so
far that it seems a miracle that they do
not fall over. They hold their partners in
such queer positions that one not initi-
ated In the mysteries Is in constant fear
that they will soon become an inextricable
dance. This is not an exaggerated state
ment. AT this same Rutgers dance there
was one girl in the room who danced
easily and gracefully. Three of her part
ners did the same. The others made one
wonder if one had suddenly stepped into
a paper of cartoons. What the young
people are coming to it is impossible to
say. One can only hope it is a brief
frenzy and will soon pass. If not, poor
Terpsichore will tremble for her reputa-
tion and parents will no longer send
their children to dancing school to make
them graceful.
1t is to be hoped that those now suffer-
ing from this mania will not spread the
disease. May the youths and maidens
when they go to summer resorts keep to
themselves this fad 1t is bad enough
that poor Jersey City is suffering from
1t, but it would be infinitely worse should
it spread through the country. Con-
fined to one section it may die out. Be-
come common property 1t is impossible
to say what may be the result.
80
Though there has been little or no really
warm weather as yet those fortunate
n~1ortals who are able to leave the city
for the summer months nave already
begun to make plans. Asbury Park,
which has been a favorite resort with
Jersey City for several years, is still in
that c,ass. Many people nave taken cot
tages there for the summer and others
will spend part of the summer there.
Lake HopaTcorg is becoming one of the
popular resorts here. A number of Jersey
City people spent the summer there last
year, among them Mr.. and Mrs. John 7.
Toffey, Mr.. and Mrs. William P. Underhil
Mr.. and Mrs. Elmer JnderhilI, Mr.. and
Mrs. Bedle. Since the Hotel Breslin has
been bought and turned into a clubhouse
by a rumber OF people, among whom are
several Jersey City men, it is probable
there will be a still large number Of this
cltys residents there this summer. Sum
NIT is also coming in favor and various
places IN Sullivan and Rockland counties.
New York, are popular.
Mr.. ard Mrs. e. F. C. Young will snend
the summer at Lake Hopatcong. Last
summer they were so occupied in ar
ranging their new residence, Glenwood
avenue and Boulevard, that they did not
leave the city except for short trips. They
were the guests last week of Mr.. ana Mrs
Elisha B. Gaddis of Newark at the West
Orange Country Club. Mr.. and Mrs. Ed
ward L. Young will summer at the Lake.
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles B. Thurston will
spend part of the summer at a seaside
resort and will visit Lake Hopatcong for
a short time.
Chancellor and Mrs. McGill. who are
now in the ~Adirondacks, return to town
next month. They will then go to Eurone
and travel till the end of the summer.
Judge and Mrs. Jonathan Dixon viii
also go to Europe next month. with
them will be Miss Dixon and Miss Rertha
Dixon and Miss Eleanor vanderbeek. The
Misses Dixon who remain at home win
spend the summer with Mrs. Rose and
MI. Warren Dixon at Spring Lake.