The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-23
Chinese Music and Steps
Now Rival the Argen-
tine Maxixe in Popular
Favor at the Fashion
able l'rotteries

MOTHER new modern dance has
~ come to claim the attention of
~ the dcvotecs in fashionable So
cicty Of ,rc one step. the hesi-
tatiun, the tango and the maxine. IL
is called the "Ta-Tao," and is as Chi
ncse as laundry ticket.
The Castles, those apostles Of the
modern dance craze, are responsible
for its appearance. Already 1t has be-
gun 10 spread beyond the confines Of
Castle House and the exclusive domain
Of the Castle School of Dancing for
they are dancing 1t in Newport, or at
least a sort OF imitation of it. and
Doubtless in the near future will have
the real thing.
At present it is claimed that the only
genuine and 100 per cent. pure ia
Tao" is to be seen "A, the Castle Summer
House in Luna Park. At any rate. the
Castles imported the music from China,
whor,. 50 1t is claimed the original
music was dug up IN a temple where
II had hccn calmly rcposiug for thou
sands of years awaiting lis ultimate
fate of stirring the languid digestion
Of bald headed milllonaires and Capti-
waiting the fancy of girls with slit
skirts
The music is certainly Chinese to a
degree. 10y rights 1t should have an
orchestra Of tum-toms To- do II fun
justice. After the Castles secured this
gem 81 harmony, so the story runs. 1t
was rumcth.ug of "A wh..e elephant on
their hands until they were able To- get
the ori-.uL, chinese music with its
twenty -~,vru notes translated into the
Emusic of oar day and Luna Park with
its mcagrc eight notes. This was prob
ably quite a task. however it was ac-
Compllshod. ana the Castle, became pos
scSscd II four copies. wu of which
they took t. Europe with them, one
they turned over to a company max.
inr phonugraph records and the fourth
they left at the Caste rchuol with Miss
Hubbcu its manager. None others
are IN existence, as he edition wa. ali
solurc,y limited, SO don't waste tim"
and postage writing for sample or pro-
fca.lunal copies. '' 1879. --',
1t Is stated at Castle House that the
"Ta Tao is Eeisha dance. but how
n gcisha dance got from Japan into
China several thousands Of years ago
is mt explained. Neither is any in.
formation To be had as To what the
original music was written ON, whether
it was on stone Ia lets or engraved ur
gold plates or cut on slabs Of Jade Mr..
Vernon Castle neglected To- mention this
detail before he sailed away to the
other side.
All of which is Of little Importance
really So long as the music - dance
able. and those who have tried 1t say
it is The rhythm is very marked and
lends itself admirably To the various
steps. ON" popularity Of the dance is
that the steps are nearly all taken on
the heels and the hands are invariably
held So that the foretngers are pointlnG
out. This gives a very Chinese effect.
The second movement IN the dance
is called the Buurc step and j. OWE
in me of the accompanying photo
graphs. The partners come together
very slowly, touch forchcads, move Boa Is
and land IN their heels
Thcr" are IL" movements To- d..
dance, which are first done with the
partners facing. The girl then turns
her back 10 her partner and does the
five movements in That position. OF
course this can be kept up indefinitely
like the steps in any other dance.
Mr. Cnruin, the manager of the
Cast" summer II use. says that il is
not at all a difficult dance to learn, in
fact much easier than the tango or the
maNlNr, and it also has the advantage
of hong sH.ta lee FOR ballroom dauctas
or for exhibition work
I3cs.drs the Bourc. the other favorltc
step in it j. the Filtration step IN
which the man holds the girls wrists
and looks over her shoulder, something
as 1t is done in the maNiXc.
Another dance which Is now rapid
ly gaining popularity is the Lulu
Fade" which is "A cullrt hin da nee of tn,