The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31
THE "GRIZZLY BEAR"
 AN ATROCIOUS WIGGLE
By c. H. MANDY

quay perversion as there Is between straw berry shortcake and picked pigs feet The shortcake brand will prevail, for extremes have ever been hurtful. Medium teneure beati
 If Terpsichore, the muse Of the choric dance could be permitted to view some of the modern dances where the Grizzly Bear, - the Bunny Hug and the Turkey Trot' and kindred actrocities are prenit- ted. or rather tolerated. she would shed burning tears of shame and sorrow to find that the pastime, which has been de- fined as "an exercise, which in its most re- fined phases expresses the poetry Of rymthic movement and rises to the level of an art and over which she is sup posed to preside, had degenrated into a so-called dance that is offensive to good taste and refined feelings and nothing more or less than an "actrocious wiggle. D
 Possibly no form of amusement has af forded more pleasure to the people of all ages and of all countries than that of dancing. It dates from time immemorial and has been used to express every form of human emotion, whether 1t be joy or grief. peace or anger, religious exaltation or frenzied passion. The battle fury has been aroused by the war dance; dancing has celebrated the conclusion of peace
 The Jews danced In praise of Jehovah 1; David danced in front of the ark, while later Herodias' dancing proved fatal 10 John the Baptist. Religious dances long fourished in the Christian church; the Pyrrhio and Memphitic dances of the Greeks were avowedly martial; the Morris dances were the chief pastime of medevial Europe. The North American Indian, the devil dancer of Ceylon. the whirlng der wishes of Persia and the Mohammadan east all seek divine inspiration in the ecstacy of the dance.
 The most popular and graceful of the modern dances, the waltz, dates back to the sixteenth century. It is easily the favorite of all modern dances. It's poetry of motion delights the eye and fascinates the soul; that is, when not used as a ve- hicle for vulgar or freak display.
 The two step. next In popularity. is of recent origin It combined the spirit of the polka with the dash of the gallop. From it's first introduction it sprang rap idly Into favor. and has taken front rank in the dances of today.
 It is regretable that the desire for some thing new has brought about some start ling and undesirable changes. The grace full swing of the waltz and the buoyant freedom of the two step has been changed by some dancers into a mincing gait with a ''hippity hoppity' step that reminds one of a tomcat on hot bricks, or a cross between a decrepit cakewak and a jay hawled hornpipe.
 However, these innovations might be tolerated as they only bring regrets for the beauty and grace of the dance before its transformation, but not content with this the attempt has been made, and with some measure of success, to introduce such Tanguayesque innovations as the Grizzly Bear and the rest of the abom- ination than had their origin in the com mon dance hall or were the device Of some mediocre actress. who, devoid of genuine merit or ability, seeks the noto- rety such exhibitions usually bring.
 It Is satisfactory to know that the at tempt to introduce these freak dances generally the result of thoughtlessness- has signally failed; good taste put the ban on these undesirable innovations, and they are being rapidly relegated to the questionable sources from whence they came. H
 IL is natural for the young to dance; it is a healthful and harmless exercise that exhilerates and delights its votaries-bar- ring. of course the pervertions above de- scribed It is the outward visible sign Of an inward desire to express the joy of living. It is vent for the exurberance of youth, and has its counterpart in the gambols of the young of the animal king dom and the joyous thrills of our feath- cred friends. It expresses joy and glad ness, gayety and mirth, exultation and happiness, rapture and ecstacy-all of these and then some.
 Dancing is the Ponce de Leon spring that keeps it's yotaries youthful, the elixir of life that lightens the heart even though relentless time shackes and makes heavy the winged and nimble feet,