New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-07
MODERN DANCE Il ROMP
Teachers Condemn "Tzco-Step
-Four NeaU Dances.

The +zren+v-efghth annual convention OF the
American Society Of Professors Of Dancing Is
being held at the Majestic The society Is Oh
exclusive bodv including less than two hundred
members and It has g, high idea OF the I'M
portance of the art that it represents. II also
entertains a very poor opinion OF this art Is
ordinarily practised.
David H. Bowen. the Oldest member OF the So
c,ety and for ffty-seven years teacher OF
dancing, declared yesterday that the mooern
dance was a roup, and degrading romp at
that
There is only one dance and one movement
IN thes. days" he said and that is conglorn-
Grafton of the two-step"
The professors" Of dancing express little
hope Of reform in the art OF Terpsichore. as 1ar
as adult dancers are concerned They are
Joined to their idols, and may as well be let
alone. but with the children it is different They
"a, h. taught to dance, and with them there is
hope
Most OF the evils of dancing arise from the
fact that people have not learned to dance
when they were children" said Henry Loring
of Troy 1T is the young man or young woman
who learns to dance at sixteen. eighteen or
nineteen who goes dance crazy and wants to
dance four nights out OF every week. With
peopIe who have learned to dance in childhood
that spell doesn't come on
Furthermore the person who learns to dance
after the age Of childhood seldom acquires the
more difficult steps. This accounts for the dull
ness of our modern dancing and its lack OF
variety. causing people to tire OF dancing AFTER
q few years. If children were taught to dance
in time and taught properly, we should nave
the old graceful, beautiful dances instead or
ronpfng and ragtime, and our social affairs
would have interest and variety AT least TINS
would be the case il the smaller private at
fairs At a large public function like the
inauguration ball we would have to expect some
dulness for people coming from different parts
of the country do not know the same dances
II is one of the objects Of the American society
of Professors of Dancing however, to unify TINS
art The dances il recommends are ta9ght al
over the country and when the children 50
taught meet in later life they Will be able 10
dance with each other
I'VE believe that children need dancing and
r1enty Of it BY giving them ease and grace OF
manner and confidence in themselves it helps
them in every department of life
Oskar Duenweg thought that dancing might
he raised to the level of devotion. Schiller, he
aid called dancing praying with the feet. and
he considers this KIND 7+t o. prayer mat 'he
A. irnnortant part of the business OF the con-
vsntfon consists of the selection and naming OF
probably be adopted. One Is the 'Srea9n wa ..a
cromposed by Oskar Duenweg. MI DuenWes
calls 1t the "Credo' because he believes IN IT,
mi some of the members seriously OBJECT 10 the
ZANE and it is likely to be changed
iA .rIa C1oinrnban" waltz by George Putting
T. If hartford obliges the dancers to reverse
.Tbe Spirit of America" by T. A. Holland, OF
cnrinpield is an exhibition piece for chldren-
2pai1net is danced to the tune of America 4
cakewaIk to Dixie" and lively movernen.
representing the lively Yankee TO the tune oI
ssYankee Doodle. :.
eavotte. by Henry Doring' came near be,
,,T FAMED for the President and Diplomacy
was also suggested In recognltlon Oh tne 9eost..
neace negotiations. but the convention n1auy
Compromised Ola the commonplace name No'l'
Gavotte. -, .t,,,,a .,,o ,,o-e devs