Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-20
DANCING IN VIENNA.
Music Never Stops and People Dance
All the Time-Damage to Dresses.
Viappa Coz Ioudnn STANDARD


The Fasching is now in full and orthodox
swing, and balls take place every evening
In the dozen or so OF big and small halls
available for societies and charities. The
favorite hall is the Soflensaal, which Is a
swimming bath In summer. For the occa-
sion it is floored with parquet and decked
with palms.
There are always two when not three
bands. and as soon as one leaves off the
other takes up the~waitz. If 1t does not the
public wants to know the reason why, and
Immediately begins to demonstra Re with
hands and voice
The chaperons SIT around in solemn state
and the men congregate In the middle Of
the floor, forming what is technically called
the herren tnsel or mems island. From this
position of vantage they swoop down on
any partner who weakens for a moment,
and carry her off. There is no such thing
as being engaged for dance, indeed, there
is scarcely such a thing as a dance, the
whole evening being one large dance, ex-
cept for the supper break. AT the charity
ball, or fraueniein. for instance. there Will
be about two thousand present, and as the
men are in the majority and the maidens
are In good training none of them are long
without sotu.
The crush is tremendous of course but
the Vienna dancer, male or other, cares
little for hard knocks. and, being deter
mined to get round the room, manages to do
1t somehow other. though to a stranger
the task looks impossible
There Is not much ceremony about intro
auctions Two strange men will come up,
and with grave politeness introduce Zach
other to a lady. whom neither of them
knows. The lady may please herself of
course, as to whether She dances with him
or not. In any case the acquaintance be-
gins, and often ends, with turn. 1t is not
even necessary to be introduced One dan
Ger sometimes makes bold to approach, and
with a deep bow he says that his name Is
Noryal and that he is d lawyer or some
thing else, and may he have the honor of a
waltz? Since the idea Is simply to have a
partner, and nothing is further from his
thoughts than to be unciVil, he generally
gets his way.
II ball like this there is little favor,
and the prettiest and smartest girls are not
much better off than their less attra ctiye
sisters. While the dowagers are in splendid
robes the dancing contingent are as rule
rather simply dressed and short skirted or
else they have an arrangement whereby
they gather up all their drapery In one
| hand. so that they may succeed in keeping
1t on their persons. Nevertheless toward the
small hours the damage is universal.
The Vienna belle may not go to as many
| balls perhaps. as her English sister but
she certainly dances good many more kiio-
meters In the course of her season Tie
Vienna balls begin, rule, pretty sharp
ly at 8. and. with an hour or so for supper
the Waiting goes on until 8. The most en-
thusiastic will not go away much before >,
but the officers cannot often stay to the
end, and when the lieutenants DEPART the
glory departs with them. Six hours almost
without a pause. Is very respectable atb-
ietic performance and many of the ladies
will, nevertheless, be seen on the ice next
afternoon still waltzing,