Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-08

follow again, and then the grizzly bear
motion is repeated
Personally, do not think the dance
particularly pretty or graceful. But,
like the Boston and other recent IA
vorites, 1t lends itself to freedom of
movement and a certain romping ten
dency common among young people
However, when 1t is properly danced,
there Is nothing offensive to modesty."
ADMITS UNSEEMLY POSSIBILITIES.
But there are plenty of unseemly
possibilities in the grizzly bear, i'm
properly danced, and Alviene is quick
to admit that.
In certain circles even the name
Is not understood" he declared. at
is thought to mean that the dancers
must stand extraordinarily close to-
gether, in imitation of the grizzly bear
hug. That is why spectators have
sometimes asserted that it resembled
hugging match. In this undignifed
and improper position the man ex-
tends his arms straightforward rest
Ing each hand under the girls arms.
The girl puts her arms directly around
the shoulders of the man, and they
are as close together as they can be
and move
Another vulgar variation of the
way Of holding a partner is shown
when the dancers both crook their
elbows out at the side holding them
at stir right angles to the body. Their
hands meet in the middle, and the
elbows of one partner rest lightly on
the elbows OF the other. Again the
two are drawn close together in an
undecorous as well as ungraceful po-
sition.
MOST OFFENSIVE FEATURE.
"But the most offensive feature ever
seen in the grizzly bear dance consists
Of the body movements. These made
up the real reason the turkey trot
was so severely condemned, and they
have been transferred without pallia-
ton to the new dance. They include
a sidewise swaying motion Of the
hips and thrusting forward Of torso
or abdomen beyond the normal posi-
ton
Needless to say, all these motions
are not only ugly, but offensive to re-
fined taste. They were originally
copied from the most depraved stage
dances, such as no decent person
would practice, even professionally.
But they certainly are an accepted
part of the grizzly bear, as It is now
and then danced. They are not con-
fined to the lowest class OF dance
halls, either, for reckless gayety gets
the upper hand of social decorum
more often than IS generally thought.
Properly danced, the grizzly hear
dance Is all right: abused, It is not At
to be mentioned in the presence of
ladies'"
DEPLOREs sOCIETY's EXAMPLE.
The grizzly bear is one Of the dances
included under the ban Of the commit
tee on amusements and vacation re-
sources of working girls, of which
Mrs Charles H. Israels is chairman.
81 think It is great pity that so
ciety women should take up this dis
graceful dance. even If they stick to a
mild and refined version OF it," says
Mrs. Israels. Their influence is so
wide and farreaching. When the
newspapers chronicle that Mrs. Some
body OF Newport introduced and
danced the grizzly bear at her ball II
Is only to be expected that young peo-
pie seeking to be socially correct
should initiate.
How can We expect TO arrive at a
decent standard for dancing when We
have continually to fight the assertion
that suggestive dances are taking
place IN the homes OF the leaders OF
society?"