Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-02-20
IS WORSE
THAN TURKEY TR0T"

-" AAHHn AA1H 49,
social dancing Is rapidly becoming
demorallzed 10y the Introduction of
eccentric figures IN the ballroom four
terpsichorean artists gave a demon
stratlon Of the Barbary coast rags"
and "shiver" dances, which made tho
turkey trot" and the grizzly bear
seem like a proper drawing roo q
creation.
After IL was all over everybody
agleed with Mrs. Charles Henry Is
raels. chairman of the meeting. that,
while a grizzly bear" might be
grizzly bear" and a SILVER n
"shiver" wherever danced. the whole
objection e o them. as she said, was
a matter of position and eQuilib
rum"
The Performance was intended foe
the benefit Of those persons interest
ed In the suppression of improper
dancing. but who had not become IA
miliar with all the dreadful details
which societies arc %censrring. And
in order TO make the objections per-
fectly clear the four dancers Illus
trated every phase and posture of the
popular eccentric figures from the
lowest dance hall Interpretation to
that seen IN New York bathrooms.
The Committee on Amusement. Re-
sources of Working Girls. lncCrpor-
ated. had charge Of the entertain
ment. which took place in the large
ballroom az D~almonico's. Among the
SPECTATOR We're many prominent cdu-
Gators, mer and women who are help
ING with the social uplift of working
girls, and a few representatives of
exclusive social circles.
Dances Demonstrated.
Serving with Mrs. lsraels on the
committee were Mrs. Henry Selig-
man Mrsc Fgerton /. Winthrop. jr..
Mrs, Maurice Wertheim. Miss Har-
riet Alexander. Mrs. Gilbert +. Jones,
Mrs. George Mcinenv. Miss Cornelia
Marshall. Miss Leila T. Newcomb,
Miss Charlotte Nicoll. Miss 81. \. Par
sons, Mrs. Robinson-Smith Mrs. Joel
Elias Spinearn. William Dean EN-
bress. Henry Moscovit7. Frank w.
Parson- and Frederick Within.
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Duryea illus
trated the steps by which society had
let 81, dancing degenerate into, first,
a chicken hop then by easy stages
into indecent rags" and "shivers."
Not satisfied with hugginr their
partners, the dancers of the eccentric
figures must make the body wrigglo
and gradually they evolved the 'sria-
Ply bear the bunny hug and the
turkey trot, " he said. Now there is
really nothing wrong with the tur-
key trot as I have g Il danced
In a Fifth avenue ballroom. But
four hours later Il was like the worst
form OF recreation soon in the low
dance halls"
Every position Of the dancers was
shown bv Mr.. and Mrs. Duryea, 10 the
embarrassment OF some persons in
the audience.
Spectators Looked Mortified.
To turn around quickly Il is ab-
solntely necessary 10 lock the two
right lees together az the knees" Mr.
DJryea explained, illustrating the
lock position. Whereupon the au.
dicnce looked Mortified.
Miss Florence Cable and Al lol-
son, Of the Winter Garden. demon
strated the evolution OF the sailors
rag rs IL VAS danced twenty years
ago on the Barbary coast, into the
grizzly bear and the turkey troi"
OF today.
Al first the sailors showed their
feet around and moved their arms
and then they BEGAN 70 wriggle their
shoulders. That is how these dances
originated" Mr.. Jolson said. Mr.
Melville Fills. Of the Winter Garden
played the rag time music
The Rev. Percy Sticknev Grant de-
clared that there vas an economic
and psychological explanation Of
some Of their eccentric dances and
their close positions Where floor
space in New York Is worth about
$40 a square foot no ore Is permit
ted, even when dancing, 10 take mp a
great deal Of space Therefore part
ners must stand close together. Thns,
dances are harmful only when COM