The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-07-30
rATITH millions of devotees and
NV thousands of denouncers, the
" modern dance craze has
hoou a homo If contontiov, IN

modern dance craze has
been bone Of contention in
almost every corner of the civilized
world.
There is little doubt that in their
original form the dances of today were
improper, but after passing through
the mill of public usage they have
been so renovated as to be absolutely
unobjectionable at the present time.
The present mode Of the tango calls
for the Partisan steps In place Of the
South American style, which was the
rage last year. However, some Of the
Argentine steps are very attractive,
and description of them will not be
amiss.
The deep dip, forward and backward,
is one Of the essential figures from this
dance and should be done as follows:
Start from the open tango position,
as shown in the accompanying illustra-
ton, take three steps forward, and on
the fourth step bend forward till the
knee almost touches the floor. In all
open steps start with the outside foot,
so that in the forward dip the outside
feet are advanced. Rising from this
position, take three more steps, swing
the inside foot forward, then back,
turn on the outside foot and dip back
with the inside foot. In this manner
you have turned halfway around and
are facing in the opposite direction.
The foot which was formerly on the
outside Is now inside and vice versa.
Take three steps forward, repeat step
and you are Strengthened out again.
Another pretty step is as follows:
Take three walking steps, swing out
side foot in front Of inside foot and
drag back three times. This sounds
very simple, but is really quite diff
cult, as the drags must not be jerky.
These are the three principal steps Of
the Argentine as introduced in this
country, and countless other steps can
be devised to accompany them.
A hint for few semi-origihal steps
may be CLEANED from the following:
A Irritation step, such as is danced
In the make, standing behind the girl
and going from one side to another.
A step similar to the hesitation, man
going forward and girl going backward.
The man stands still crossing, one
foot in 'front.' Of the other, while the
girl does a series Of steps halfway
around him and then back again to
original position.
These steps Of the girls can be
changed at will and offer many op-
portunities for original thought.
Rowley Downs, Jr., who has been in
the foremost ranks Of dancers since
the craze started, explains the dance
craze as follows:
MANY persons are anxious to know
why the dances have become so pop
ular. Like all other amusements that
are taken up by the majority, there
Is bound to be constant improvement.
In the dances Of the present this i'm
provement has been along the lines OF
less effort and greater simplicity. Fol-
instance, the hesitation is only one half
the step of the original waltz, and the
one step cuts down the effort Of two
stepping by half.
"This explains why so many Older
men and women have taken up the
craze and find 1t so attractive.
moderate amount Of dancing is excel
lent exercise and helps to keep the body
at where many medicines might fail.
by the introduction Of new tempo
occasionally the public interest Is kept
ut q high pitch, and some one is al