The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-06
DISAPPEARING DANCING SCHOOLS.
A Feature of Metropolitan Life Twenty-Five
Years Ago That Dropped Away.

One Of the oldest landmarks Of that part Of
town south Of Bleecker street. which lies be-
tween Broadway and the Bowery. Brooks's
Assembly Rooms on Broome street near the
Broome street Tabernacle and q short dis
lance east Of Centre Market. is about to be de-
Inolished 10 make room for the Protestant Epis-
copal City Mission Of New York. A new build
ing is to be erected there. The present build
ing, recently called The Dewey, was erected in
1874. 1t was used by the Free Thinkers So
clety up TO ls45. but in that year II was secured
by Laurence Brooks. a famous dancing master.
who continued to run II until two years ago.
when ho died.
EVERYBODY in New York who was any body.
according 10 the formula Of that day. knew
Brooks and was familiar with his dancing school
between 1875 and 1870, Il period Of twrnty five
years. after which the enormous Italian I'M
migration in the Fourteenth ward. transform
ing entirely its character. began and has con-
tlnued since.
The dancing school was an institution Of old
New York which has practically passed away.
There are, Of course. IN successful existence
schools al which dancing IS taught. but they
no longer bear the same relation TO social events
that they did when Brookss, De Garmols and
other institutions were in their prime. II was
customary III other days 10 give public balls.
receptions and entertainments at the assembly
rooms in use FOR dancing aCadeinies, a practice
which 10 no longer general or needlul for the
reason that pl the large restaurants maintain
dancing halls as we'll as banaueting rooms.
Moreover, the dancing school. as 1t existed in
other DAYS. to a considerable extent was tho
social meeting place for young people and dane
ing Lessons were taken BY nany who had become
proficient IN the art and required no further
tuition.
Nowadays there are many counter attrac-
tions-ln summer. bicycle, tennis, golf and
racquet clubs, IN winter, literary entertain
ments followed by vaudeville and dancing, and
skating, concerts and theatrical entertainments,
the attendance al which Includes many who
formerly were not patrons OF dancing schools.
Another serious obstacle 10 the popularity
Of dancing schools, old style, Is the greater
distances which now exist and the difficulties
Of feGch,ys what rSs in no other ia DAYS vas an Vac SGges,
the time Of the opening of Frooks's assembly
by the census Of 1885, and at the beginning Of
the Civl Mar the population Of the Tonth and
Fourteenth vard; from which Brooks AS
sembly Rooms drew most patronage, was
10000. To-day the Tenth ward e inhabited
| almost exclusively by Observation-Disclosures, and
the Fourteenth ward by ltalan-Americans, and
a dancing school al which neither Russian,
iargon nor Italian was spoken would draw a
sCanty attendance indeed.
In tho upper parts OF town. in the residential
districts, dancing schools are maintained, more
! particularly for such instruction IN the rudi-
ments OF the waltz, lanciers and two-step as arc
nccrssarv--no more. The two reasons ass gned
for the decline In this old New York institution
are probably sufficient. but q tlurd and I'M
twenty wears ago fancy dances" were regarded
with much favor, the rcdowa. the polka. the
French Qnadrile. the gallon, the mlnuet and
the York were a part Of tho supposed knowl-
edge Of dancers. and proficiency in these could
not be attained. as Is the case Of the simpler
dances OF to-day, unles- by instruction at a
dancing school. The taste for such elaborate
dances has passed TO a great extent. and the
need or, n permanent and elaborate dancing
school where such steps and figures were taught
is gone also.