The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-15
ideas for UWnmen

Dancing teachers are quite discouraged
over tie modern waltz. The Americans
Society of Professors of Dancing. at us
recent convention in Boston.
the waltz as it is how danced as being
more or less an obnoxious ronp. This
will have more weight when 1t Is added
that the delegates TO this convention came
from Amsterdam, N. Y; omahas Neb-;
Chicago, Ill. Wheeling. w. Va; Merides,
Conn; Aurora, H.. Auburn, Me-; Nash
willie, Tenn and Nor witch, Conn.
NJ. 3. Gilbert. the President of the
society. who has written a book on terp-
sichorear. art, said in his address
1.-THE waltz has degenerated only in the
position in which it is danced by a GER
tain class of people. This is the class
who are guilty of affeetation IN dancing.
They are not confined to amy one grade
in society. though the tendency to take
affected aud. therefore, ungraeefui posi-
tons in the waltz started with the spiel
ers.' At nearly all dances now you will
see a young man insist in holding a wom-
ans hand up under his left ear. Stu
dents seem especially fond of this absurd
position.
This is the most common of the var
ious false positions in the waltz. 1t is
the result of the man taking up the
woman's hand with his palm upward, in
stead of keeping his palm downward and
holding her hand lightly in his bent TN
gers. The woman's hand should also be
palm downward. With the mans hand
upward and the woman's resting ON it
the natural tendency of the man is to
raise his hand, until in some cases the
man is nesting the woman's hand up
alongside his neck in nj time. He may
rot be conscious of the improperly of
The position. which is but a natural devel-
opment of The false pose first taken.
9TH second false pose that we meet in
the waltz is the side position. in which
the man holds the woman at his right
side, with her arm across his chest. and
rushes her all around the hall, regardless
of the time of the music, and with little
effort at guiding. The result is a lack of
grace and rhythm. annoying to persons
dancing the waltz as it should be danced"
Another official said
The waltz as danced now has become
only a romp. in which a lady is run the
length of a drawing room by her partner
and then run back again. This is a result
of the two-step waltz, which has come to
be so universal that there are many peo-
pie who dance nothing but two-step to
everything This will be done away with
very largely, although just what will take
its place it will not be possible for us TO
say until later. There is no doubt,
though, that this is the most important
problem with which the convention is to
deal.n
In a general discussion of the matter
the following suggestions were made
Do not, in waltzing. seize your partner
about the waist with both arms. This
insures against separation in the acct
dents incident TO a ballroom career, but
is likely to attract attention. It is per-
inissible only at a country barn dance.
Remember in all eases to keep time
with the music. If your partner fails to
emulate you in this. gently but firmly pro-
cure another partner.
Bear in mind that the floor is the basis
of operations, not your partners feet.
Do not rest your chin upon your part
ner's shoulder 1t is a handicap for her,
and besides. she may jolt and loosen your
teeth.
It is bad form to elevate your partners
right land to a level with you ear. If
you want to scratch your ear disengage
your own hand and do it like a man. 1t
is usual to preface the performance by
saying, "Excuse me-
When you feel yourself falling, let go
of YOUR parfner 1t is true that she
might serve as a buffer, but it is easier
to pick up one person than two.
Never romp while waltzing. If you
need exercise, go out and run around
the block.
Do not hold your partner SO close that
she cannot get a full breath. On the
other hand, do not push her away as
if under the suspicion hat her eorsage is
full of hatpins.
If you are going to waltz, waltz. Don't
hop, or two-step. OF polka, OF spiel, or
can-can. Just waltz.