The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-15

(BY ADA PATTERSON
L have never seen the turkey trot
danced in an offensive manner in So
eiety. The offense in the manner of
it was given from the stage, so far
as I have seen it,
Mrs. William Cumming Story, re-
gent of the Manhattan Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton, spoke with soft-toned conviction.
What applies to painting applies
to dancing. Two painters may use
the same brushes, the same paint and
the same size canvas, and paint the
same subject, and one will produce a
picture of pure and ethereal beauty
and the other one that will offend. The
difference is in the mind of the paint
er. So, to my mind, is the turkey trot,
which I believe is being raised to the
dignity of the one-step."
. Mrs. William Cumming Story.
The Junior League Bulletin, the or
gan of the younger set of exclusive
society, has published an editorial, de-
ploring the misuse of the romping
dances of the day. 1t says with gravity
beyond the years of its writer:
rs it not a matter for shame-for
personal shame to everyone who reads
this-that anyone can say what one of
the workers of ST. Bartholomew
parish house said the other day? The
worst features of the dances at the
parish house come from Sherry's. The
boys and girls who consciously initiate
society men and women are the ones
who give us the troubles at our balls.
Today we hear on all sides that people
are thrown out of East side halls for
dances not really so vulgar as those
our debutante sister Tolls through ev-
cry night.
But it is not question of turkey
trotS and grizzly bears, of step or
tempo" is the sage conclusion of the
Junior League. 1T is a question of
Manner
That is the decision of heads older
and more judicial than the youthful
editors of the Junior League Bulletin
that no dance is intrinsically bad,
that the evil lies in the manner of it.
Mrs. Charles s. 1sraels, who las,
Moses-like, led the youth of at least
one section of New York, out of the
evil dancing into good by inaugurating
a model hall, danceland, at One-Hun-
dred TWenty-fifth street and Madison
avenue, says the three inimical feat
ures of dance may appear in any,
even in that triumph of oldtime state
illness, the minuet. Those three feat
ures are dancing needlessly close to
your partner, pressing your face
with your arms. These are the trim
ity of sins in dancing and they may be
avoided as easily in the turkey trot,
the bunny hug or the grizzly bear.
az in any of the older fashioned round
dances.
The Heavenly Rest
One missionary of the dance has
named a new variety of the turkey
trot the heavenly rest The heaven
ly rest consists in two steps to the
sides and balancing Enthusiastic
dancers declare it merits the name. The
two-step, the same enthusiasts believe,
will succeed and disp1ace the waltz the
scottische and polka and it's advocates
recall that when the waltz invaded
England there was a strong crusade
vader.
Stage Sets Example.
Il am in thorough sympathy with
Mrs. A. NJ. Dodge in her objection to
the manner in which the extreme dane
ing is done" continued Mrs. Story.
when we had thus reviewed the dance
situation. Il have been travelling so
much this winter that I haven't seen
as much dancing usual but | have
never seen anything Objectionable in
drawing rooms. L think the stage sets
the example in extremes in the matter
1t emphasizes the contortions as the
players speak in louder tone than
they do on the stage in a drawing
room. In one sense this is an exigencS
of the stage. But the young people in
the audience make a great mistake
when they take for granted that this
is the correct way to dance even these
unusual figures
Il am glad there is a tendency to
dignity dancing. Every dancer can do
something toward it. A good example
is a powerful teacher. l am glad the
Junior League is using it's influence
against the semblanee of immodestv in
the dance. 1t will have great Influence
and it's announcement should be
long step toward decency and dignity
in dancing. I have no doubt that the
wave of moral sentiment will carry the
improper methods of dancing out of
, sight and I hope out of existence.
That tendency removed I should like
dancing. Too much time is given to
what if done in moderation would be
the most healthful of pastimes for old
and young. l am quite sure that too
much entertainment is crowded into
one evening and night as entertain
ment is now planned
1.-The average young man or woman
| who is invited out a great deal begins
| by dressing at for dinner to which
i he or she is invited and from which
| there is a hurrying away to the the
| alter. After that the program is to
go to a dance. They dance from IL to
/ IL. when supper is served. Then they
| dance till or A. when what may be
| called breakfast is eaten The result
| is that they go to bed at or s, and Sc
far as work or study is concerned the!