The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-31
LEARN AMERICAN DANCES.
Parisians are Being Taught the
American Step and Taste.

Paris Letter.
Partisan society Is taught to dance by
an American Its dance programs are
made up of ..Bostons. hop waltzes.
waltz-lancers. two-steps. three-steps, one
steps. Newports, five-step shottisches
and Washingtons. The American step.
the American taste, and the American
ideal are firmly fixed in the Partisan
great world. and one young American is
responsible for 1t.
Between classes at his establishment
In the rue Washington, as swell young
buds escorted by their governesses
drove up and away in private cabs.
have just had a talk with George WASH
ington Lopp, this young apostle of the
Boston" 10 the Parisians. Some seven
or eight years ago the late Henri Pluc-
que, the regisseur Of the grand opera bal
let, wrote to his confrere of the Metro
poiitan Opera House in New York to ask
II he could recommend some one to teach
his coryphees step dances. in view Of
the forthcoming ballet of la Korr-
game" whose danse aux sabots," Of
wooden shoe dance" lasts some twenty
minutes, Mr.. Lopp was sent and stayed
a year. in which time he taught the fair
creatures clogs. jigs. hornpipes and sand
dances in variety. They need t." says
Mr.. Lopp today.
The young American. however, was not
satisfied to spread abroad the knowledge
OF step dancing. Almost unknown. OK
cept to professionals. he got together
here and there class OF young Ameri-
cans belonging to the colony. There must
have been a long-felt want for a good
master of the dances of American soci-
ETY., because classes grew as IL by magic
until the Americans were left in a mi
nority and Partisan society had claimed
him for its own
How different they are here from what
they are in London! exclaimed Mr..
Lopp as we talked about the Coronation.
''They are really innocent in London, and
Americans need have no fear to show
themselves on any London dance floor.
On the contrary. let them remember one
thing-never. never to turn to the left in
waltzing. That is the one rule in Eng
land. Any other old thing will do. for
they are away behind the times
Taught Royal Children.
In London" Mr.. Loop went on, as he
warmed to the subject. they dance
what they call the Washington Post
to the music of that dance by Sousa
In ii the man dances behind his partner
extending both hands: while for the rest
1t is danced very much like La Favor
lite. dance in the nature of a galop
WFltteu Dy an american teacher of the
name of Gilbert. Throw the heel to the
sidei then. crossing the leg. touch the toe
in front; this they repeat, then slide
four steps. men to the right, girls to the
left, in changing places. The whole
movement is then repeated. after which
they take eight galop steps forward to
the right and eight to the left, and re-
peat ad libitum. Waltzes they dance al
ways to the right, never reversing, and
1t is something terrible! When they get
dizzy they start at one end of the room
and go forward until they feel able to go
on turning to the right again. They are
beginning to dance the two-step-but only
to the right. They dance quadrilles.
which are romps, mere romps-not dane
Ing"
II thought that you were once sent
for to teach the royal children?' | asked.
remembering the rumor had heard long
ago from some of his earliest American
pupils.
That was at the beginning of my ca
reer in Paris. he replied. Il had left
the opera and established my first society
classes, in this same apartment house.
whose number Is on the avenue of the
Champs Elysees. not the rue Washington.
(And, by the way, do you know that San
tos-Dumont is my neighbor, in the next
apartmentO At that time Lady de Grey
was also a neighbor of mine. and she
had lot of young friends coming to take
lessons of me. 1t was through her that