The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-04
London Hostesses
Putting Ban Upon
Private I ango Dance
OUTCRY NOT AGAINST STAGE.
BUT UNGRACEFTL ROMP OF
BALL ROOM

LONDON. Jan. 3--The tango dance
Is coming Under the ban OF many
prominent hostesses- The cutlery is
not against the tango as II Is danced
on the professional stage but against
the u1graceful and indelicate romp
1t becomes at some private houses
and even In public halls. This is
causing the dance TO be more severe
ly criticised than the bunny hug and
other dances which failed &c win the
seal Of approval of London social cir
cles Regarding this matter the
Duchess OF Norfolk said:
such dances are undesirable be-
cause the tango itself and the COM
ments to which it leads are foreign to
the English nature and ideals OF
which / hope we are still proud"
The Countess of Dundonald said:
II think the United States dances
are more suitable to the English bali
roosn.''
Comment by the Countess of CO.
ventry was:
II do not think 1t desirable that
the tango should be danced at so
cial functions.
Il agree thoroughly with the fore
going" said Lady Claverhouse Ora
ham.
Other opinions expressed were:
Lady LayIand Barratt-'I consider
the tango immodest and suggestive.
1t Is an impossible dance for any girl
OF refinement and modesty."
Lady de Ramsey--"I strongly dis
approve of 1t and I would never per-
nit it to be danced In my house"
Lady Ninian Crichton-stuart-'
think the modern mania TO: extraor-
binary dances Is quite ridiculous"
Lady Beatrice Wilkinson--"Never
- hn To AanrnA II iS
impossible Yor me to give an opinion
but II it is like the horrible dances Of
negroid origin, which have for the
moment ruined English bathrooms. !
most strongly object to It,
viscountess Templeton-"I am
happy to say that l have never seen
the tango danced and having regard
to tho many photographs supposed
to set forth It's attractions ] am In
great hope OF never seeing
Lady Byron--''The tango IL an &C
robatic dance and often ungracefui.
but it is the fashion and that Is
enough for its deSotees. II is GER
tainly good exercise. 1t is the only
physical expression Of the age. the re-
suit of un6isciplined, unrestrained
youthful ex lberance. 1t Is certainly
better than bridge. As for Its being
suggestive detestable word-to the
pure all things are pure Young peo-
pie nowadays will not tolerate criti-
cism. They do as they like"
The objection of Queen Mary to the
tc ngo has already been cabled to The
Sun. While at Chatsworth recently
on a visit to the Duchess CT Devon
shire the. latter was requested to
make 1t perfectly clear that moth
ing in the nature Of the tango would
be tolerated at the two dances given
at the Devonshire home. 1t was also
plainly set forth that those who ex-
pect to be the hostesses OF the queen
must place ban on such dances.
The Gentlewoman. which has col
lected the foregoing opinions. comes
to the following conclusion:
1.-THE tango stands doomed. and 1t
ia to- be hoped that 1t IL now wrtg-
Cling wildly through the final con-
tortions. The tango will remain for
eign to the English character in all
senses OF the word. Such being the
case, we by dancing It are making
ourselves grotesque to no end"