The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-08
ASSA|LS MODERN
TROTSAND TANGOS
Dances Of To-Day Without Single
Reckoning Feature, Says
Rev Frank l.. Wells.
WALTZ HAD BRAzEM ORIGIN
Bern on Immoral Nicnncsc
Stage, and at First Banned
by the Authorities.

The tango, like all Gaul, is divided
into three parts" said Rev. Frank L.
wells pastor OF the Bread Street
Methodist Church. last night. quoting
a recent critic of the modern dance
"lt is a small part athletic. = stili
smaller part esthetic. and by far the
largest part just sensual
From the best information that he
had been able to obtain, said the
preacher. it appears that the tango
originated in an unsavory quarter or
ruenos Aires. The other ultra-modern
dances of the day, according to MI
Wells, have family trees which are
equally as disreputable.
"The rag dances that arc so popular
today. and that have even been
adopted by So called polite society.
NE said. .'once delighted vulgar audi
noes among the natives OF Central
.frica. and have come down to us
,.ariouslv through the vicious strata
IN san Francisco and Paris. ana
through the jaded elements in better
circles that are always ready TO ac-
cent anything that promises new
thrill"
Assnils Modern Dance.
Mr.. Wells devoted his evening ser
mon to an inquiry into dancing as it
is known and practiccd to-day. begin
ming with the waltz, to which he as
cribed n brazen birth in December
l7S7, on a Niennese stage not oNerour-
dened with morality This form of
Inc dance. he said. was regarded at
that time as so shockingly vulgar that
The authorities placed a ban upon ii,
and IL was never mentioned in polite
society.
Ii was not until Paris had accepted
the waltz. said MIR. Wells. that the po-
lite world. always accepting the oic-
tates OF the French capital without
question. adopted it. The round dances
SIN in vogue in some communities he
said, had an origin and early lie
equally as unsavory.
Not only the vulgar modern dance,
but the whole institution OF modern
dancing. including even those forms
harmless fell under Mr.. Wells's crit
icism. Viewed from every possible
angle he said. modern dancing is cal
culated TO add nothing 10 a persons
development esthetically, spiritually or
morally. and nothing TO his usefulness
to his fellow beings and to God.
Dancing Exercise.
1t is urged by some of it's votaries,
said the minister that dancing is
healthful physical exercise. So far
from being that, he said, 1t violated
all the laws OF hygiene by requiring
this exercise TO he taken late at night
and in the early hours of the morn
ing in overhoatcd rooms and while in
numbered with garments calculated to
impede rather than encourage freedom
Of motion.
The claim that dancing is a Kind Of
esthetic entertainment especially
aroused the preachers criticism.
1T is in great part responsible for
the emptiness and aimiessncss Of much
OF the social life Of to-day. So far
from being a harmless pastimc, as am
other school of its votaries assert. the
modern dance in its tendencies and re-
suits is without esthctic foundation,
and is dangerous TO social purity. 1t
is based on tive commingling OF the
sexes. and is linked in history with
tie story OF social ruin"
Denounced by Teachers.
The teachers OF dancing themselves,
said AIR. Wells. have become ashamed
% their ill-bred progeny. and have de-
clared war against the rag dances of
fre day. Al y recent convention Of
dancing INSTRUCTORS, hold in New York,
hc said, one speaker warned his hear
crs that the tango ana its fellow sin
ncrs We're dragging what was once
an AZ, down To the level of the gutter.
The contention that dancing has a
religious foundation, said the preacher
was ihe most fantastic Of all Those
VINO make this claim point to passages
in the holy writings in which illusions
are made to tho dance and dancing
There is no instance in the Bible
said Mr.. Wells, in which the sexes are
spoken of as dancing together Always
II is men dancing with men or women
dancing with women. The only two
references that lie recalled said Mr.
Wells, were in Job where the dance
was mentioned not in a complimentary
Inanner ana in the scriptural passage
which describes Salomc's dance before