The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06
BY MYRTLE MILES


scene in a musical comedy could hardly
be imagined than was presented at the
Thursday dancing class this week. In the
little room adjoining the ball room were
the dressing table and tall mirror an ar
ray of street frocks hurriedly cast aside
for the dancing costumes. and arranged
about the wall sat a row of figures IN
saucy black skirts and white blouscs
waiting with varying degrees Of patience
for the morning lesson to begin. 1t was
a dismal day and the little group pic
tured the gloom of the weather. A 1t
tie musician, who is all rhythm ana
couldn't stay away from the class meet
ing if she tried, sat near window with
one foot caught up over the other fnee
unlacing a boot to don the sort, heel-
less slipper which the work requires The
effort had brought tiny frown to her
brow and in the stiffness that had fall
Ten on the party a young matron, fetch
ing In short satin skirt and lace trimmed
blouse, who had come early and gotten
into her toys, looked down and laughed.
Having trouble?" she inquired.
NO, was just thinking you should be
doing this for me-" | wondered why,
and the young matron said, Il discharged
the maid last week We found her asleep
and when I explained to Mr.. Miles that
she was purely ornamental, he excused
her from further duties. Mrs. l.. doesn't
need her for anything but her boots
hut she does long for her to put them
On" The costumes are simply fascinat-
ing They make an almost perfect trans
formation, so complete indeed that ono
hardly recognizes the dearest friends.
fun black skirt hangs Just below the
knees and soft white blouse is caught
In at the waist with a loose sash. The
feet as they trip over the floor in the
lIShtest of movepeats are clad IN saucy
sli,pers entirely flexible and finished with
a big rosette on the toe. The sharp con-
trast of black and white and the uni
formity of the costume make them par
ticularly attractive.
The dancers continued to arrive, join
ING the wall flowers, some OF whom,
eeasins to be wall flowers" had gone out
into the dance hall and were pirouetting
like children on the smooth floor. pfac-
ticing the steps Suddenly tall brunette
with a very earnest face, danced INTO the
dressing room counting with rhythmic
rlee and rather excitedly, sonle such Jar
eon as zone to the right. two to the left
an incorporating the count with "Goody,
1,ve got il: eureka" and other evidences
of self consratulation. II was some IN
tricate step that had proven a literal
stumbling block, and its mastery was
Joyous experience. 8....
Suddenly the whistle called the class
10 the hoor, and they assumed posltlons
facing the instructor and forming two
long lines on the side of the room. Inc
pretty Young woman at the piano struck
The first chords of an exercise which is all
music, and poetry OF motion. The ex-
srcises which bring the chest high and aid
h the erect carriage OF the-h head, giving
suppleness to the body and lltheness TO
the limbs, were all here. and the poses
~ the hands and feet were the acme OF
krace. AS the work proceeded from the
eimpliest to the most Intricate dance
ateps. introducing an Indian club drill as
well. I remembered what Mr.. Miles had
haid of the process of making dancer.
"Good dancing means good idea OF
Rhythm. With a sense OF time the bat
de is more than won, and OF another
authority on. the science of dancing,
s~That the teacher who is qualified must
lot only understand how a dance should
ke done but be able TO execute the
steps absolutely correctly" 1t is a JOY
10 see Mr.. Miles give instructions to his
haass; his art is SO perfect--one OF tho
bupils said. so contagious. We dance
b spite of ourselves
The dance is not an accomplishment
Nat is confined to youth. 1t has been
aid that IAN Old dog can't be taught new
Kicks but one never gets too old to learn
b dance. There is a gray-laired woman
b this Thursday class, and there Is
Srhool girl The gray-haired woman Is
newer pupil than the other, but the
Srhool girl was in her early visits regard
q as hopeless case-not by the in
Structor. because he is experienced
Enough to know that In dancing thdee are
kane Anyway, she is now one OF the
Rost graceful exponents Of his art, and
Ne one who is older in years. but a
nuneer student VIII, no doubt excel
Mter few more lessons.
During repetition of the dance steps,
nd calsthenlcs. 1t was amusing TO note
he varying expressions on the faces OF
Me members There was the woman who
has lived on q ballroom floor and who
know the tricks of the social dancer
kchniaue and dances with the unconsci-
kus grace with which she manages her
kailing skirts on a drawina-roomj moor
- the other end OF the line was the
Ettle Frsneh woman, who has practieed