The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-08-20
REFORM IN DANCING.

Teachers Trying to Get Reform in
 the Young Mans Position.
 Dancing masters throughout the coun-
 try have risen in their might, decisively
 and unanimously, against the way the modern man holds a girl when he is
 dancing waltz or twostep. The recent
 convention of the International Associa-
 tion of Masters of Dancing, held in
 Pittsburg, Pa, had little other import
 ant business to discuss. Hours that the
 professors of terpsichore annually
 spend in recommending in conclave
 fresh twirls, steps, movements. all went this past month in heated debate
 as to how ladies" should be held. There was not one dissenting voice as to the bad manners and bad form of the youth of to-day. Each master of danc- ing was agreed that the evil must be
 stopped. The only question was how best to stop it.
 The way of the day is carlessness on the part of the young men. all the pro fessors" concede. These youths simply
 do not think, and their arms and hands, once conventionally placed, slip around to easier and more natural pastures. In consequence, all over the country, mice girls" are being held in posi- tions that would do discredit to the toughest dance.s The dancing masters say that unless something is done
 quickly, dancing among good people will
 get black eye. They have had to take the initiative for the reason that the Y;yle.s solt
 seem to realize this. <
 So out in Pittsburg the dancing men
 established new position for the tWostep and the waltz. Just what they agreed upon, just what evil they had to
 break down the accompanying series of l pictures shows. The lowest picture of l the set gives the new standard that is 1 to be strictly adhered to and is to be taught all over the country from now on. Woe to the man and girl, the danc- ing teachers say, that will not do this,
 They will from henceforth be tabooed as tough" and nothing but that.
 I The official posture of 8 year ago was
 an excellent one, just so long as it was not abused. But abuse and exaggera- ton of it came quickly. The two guid- ing arms, that of the man and that of the girl, instead of remaining down, stretched out. fingers simply lightly touching fingers, gradually drew up. lcrooked in a manner never intended by any one. until at last they were bent
 double. up almost (something quite) on
 a level with the faces, and crowed in I between girls and man. In proper l dancing fingers should only lightly
 touch. With theses new developments,
 however. the girls hand became awk- wardly and roughly gripped and twist ed backward, so that 1t could be tightly clutched when raised on high between
 the two young persons.
 1 Of course, there are many public dancing places and balls, not only here,
 but in all the other cities of the country as well, summer and winter, where
 dancing of this order is the common
 thing. In such assemblies tits expected, and only when seen by strangers who
 are unaccustomed to it is there com
 ment and criticism What has mortified | the professors and melted them to hurried action this summer is that all this winter, in the city throughout the
 country, their pupils have broken away from orders and directions and are \ dancing with a decided tendency the
 worst position.
 Orders have gone out that all this summer the masters of ceremonies at the big summer resorts. who are nearly all dancing masters. shall exert their influence toward this reform. In every
 dancing school from Maine to the
 Pacific coast proper position is to be vigorously preached all next winter. The dancing masters area unit in saying that the situation is extren1ly critical.
 that the situation is extremely critical correcting 1t is going to be most difficult and decidedly uphill work.
 l What they are most astonished at is the number of nice young men and girls that have fallen into these l ways. 2r''
 The movement for this reform is so l definite, though, and so strongly backed that the coming year is certain to see improvement. If improvement does not I come and speedily it is altogether likely I to be as the Dancing Master Associa- ton fears, that many mothers and fathers will set their faces plainly against their daughters and sons .danc-
 ing at all. The new position" is to be fought for definitely and thoroughly. It l will be strange if the dancing teachers
 do not carry their point conclusively be-
 fore many months have gone by
 Brooklyn Eagle. sss. 5@