Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-21
THE "BOSTON"IN DETAIL
READS LIKE A KNITTING LESSON
TO THE UNINFoRMED.
Is Set to Dreamy Waltz Music and
the Parisians Cannot Get
Too Much of 1t.

two-steps. three-sjeps, one-steps. NeWports.
fiye-step schottisches and Washingtons.
The American sep. the American taste and
the American idea are firmly fixed in the
Partisan great world and one young Amer
lean is responsible for il.
Between classes a his establishment in
the Rue Washington, swell young
buds. escorted by their goyernesses,
drove mp and away in private cabs, l have
just had a talk with George Washington
Lopp. this young apostle of the Boston"
to the Parisians. Some seven or eight years
ago the late Henri Plucque. then regisseur
of the grand opera ballet, wrote to his con-
frere of the Metropolitan Opera House in
New York TO ask if he could recommend
some one to teach his coryphees step
dances in view of the forthcoming ballet
Of La korrigane' whose "danse aux sa-
bots or '-wooden-shoe dance" lasts some
twenty minutes Mr.. Lopp sent. and
stayed year. in which time he taught the
fair creatures clogs, jigs. hornpipes and
sand dances in variety They need II.
says Mr.. Lopp today.
The young American. however was not
satisfied TO spread abroad the knowledge
of step dancing. Almost unknown, except
To professionals. he got together here and
there a class of young Americans belong
ing to the colony. There must have been
loug-felt want for a good master of the
dances OF American society. because classes
grew if by magic until the Americans
ciety had claimed him for its own.
How different they are here from what
they are in London exclaimed Mr.. Lopp.
We talked about the coronation They
really innocent in London, and Ameri-
cans bound for the coronation festivities
need have no fear TO show themselves on
any London dance floor On the contrary.
let them remember only one thfng-neyer
never To turn 10 the left in waltZing. That
is the one rule in England. Any other old
thing will do, for they are away behind
the times
In London" Mr.. Lopp went on. as he
warmed to the subject. they dance what
they call the Washington Post, to the mu-
sic of that name by Sousa. In it the man
dances behind his partner. extending both
hands: while for the rest 1t is danced very
much like La Fayorite. a dance in the ma
ture Of gdlop, written by an American
teacher of the name of Gilbert Throw the
heel to the side; then. crossing the leg,
touch the toe in front; this they repeat.
then slide four steps. men to the right.
girls u the left. in changing places. The
whole movement is then repeated after
which they take eight galop steps forward
I" the right and eight to the left. and re-
peat ad li0itum. Watzes they dance al
WAYS TO the right. never reversing, and il
Is sonnet hing terrible, When they get dizzy
tiny Start at one end of the room and go
forward until they feel able To go turn
ing - the right again. They are beginning
t. dance the tWo-steD-but only to the
right. They dance quadrilles which are
rhmpS. mere romps-not dancing
Ameri an dancing master 1 suggested.
A Pressing Need.
one said Mr.. Lopp. They need a
dozen
Il thought that you were once sent for TO
teach the royal chiIdren?" l asked remem-
h, ring the rumor ! rad heard long ago from
some of his earliest American pupils.
That was at the beginning of my career
ia Paris he replied. Il had left the opera
and established my first society classes. liz
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 Santos-Dumont is my
r--ighbOr, in the next apartment 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. II was
through her that | got the order to go to
London, TO teach the children of the Duke
OF York and their young companions.
The lessons took place at the Cd Buck
ingham Palace in a kind OF salon room on
the second floor. some distance back. 1
Know had to go through half dozen cor
ridors to reach it. Very shortly L had four
or five other Classes-about forty children
OF the aristocracy-held regularly at the
homes of this or that one of them. Here.
again. they would never allow me to teach
the children TO reverse in waltzing. Often
] asked why: but | never got real answer
except that 1T is bad form. In truth IL
Is only British stubbornness.
Well. after | had been giving lessons to
the little royalties about five weeks | had
row: yes. in buckingham Palace, There
was young fellow of the name of II Think
Argyle. who used to come to look on. He
too was great on not reversing and against
all things American. including the Ameri-
car accent. He claimed that | had IT, and
would not argue with him. Then he be
gan to mock me. When | would say dance
h. would say 'dawnce.' and when I said
can't he would say 'cawn't.' After a little
of this ] turned to the pianist and asked
is there parrot in the room? The young
Argyle went off muttering about a beastly
brute And word about Il was brought
to me the next day l had had almost
enough of the thing already. so my answer
was to take the first boat for Paris.
Did Not Like the Court.
I'm few days Lord Dufferin. the then
ambassador. came and said to me: You
have insulted English royalty 1 answered:
y am sorry. because they were very nice
to me- He said: Here is diamond pin
from the Prince of Wales QHere II Is,
with large a in brilliants) With that
NJ asked me to go back again and go on
with the lessons. But l answered that the
London climate made me droopy and re-
FUSED. with many regrets He said: You
are the first man l ever knew of to refuse
To go to the court of England / said:
Put me down in history"
Then you resumed your society classes
I'm Paris?''
Yes: when left the Opera my first yu-
pills Were mostly professionals. as you may
imagine. l had Cleo de Merode Mile.
Muria- Guerrero, all of whom know more
about step dancing now than they did be-
fore. Then came half a dozen Paris dane
ing masters and mistresses 10 learn the
Boston. the Newport. the Washington and
other American society dances. to teach
them in their classes. AT the same time
got some young Americans from the colony
and many English, now that ii was
known / had taught the royal ohildren n.
Such thing counts with the English in
Paris. l assure you Then | began to get
the French and others OF Parish IN society.
] gave lessons to the children Of Baronue
Alphonse de Rothschild almost fror. the
beginning They brought others. The twa
children OF Casimir-Perier. ore boy and a
girl. who is shortly TO be married. are still
with The young Duchesse d'I-xes
came first for her children. then for her
self. and that has been my experience with
large number of young society matrons
Soon 1 had the children of the Princess Ga
iuZen. a cousin of the Duchesse dues
the Princesse Coionnas two children dhese
being half American). the children of the
Duchesse de Grammont, the children of the