The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-05-04

for Q moro interesting and beno.
fetal kind Of social dancing.
A dance to be useful must not
indulge undesirable emotions. II
must be vigorous and interesting. but
| not exciting or exhausting. It must
give sufficient exercise to many and
must endanger none.
PHYSICAL PERIL OF MODERN
CIVILIZATION.
ITO understand the great physical
value Of dancing II is necessary to
understand the physical peril OF mod
ern civilization. That peril may be
summed up In two words-tissue
stagnation. When we sit still our
tissues stagnate. We may sit at
desks In a business office or at desks
same. What We need 10. literally. q
shaking up.
Formerly school was n continual
sitting still. Even the old forms Of
exercise, the mechanical drills act
ing upon only a few muscles. were
not really exercise at all. The teach
ers approved of them. for they seemed
formal and systematic. But they left
the children uninterested.
Now our point OF view 10 so
changed that one quarter of the
child's first year at school is devoted
to motion. Periods OF sitting still are
followed by periods Of activity. That
is as 1t should be.
"Tho chief physical benefit Of
dancing lies not in the exercise il
may give to ono or two particular
sets Of muscles. but in the gen.
eral strengthening Of tho bodily
organs. Il makes the heart beat
more strongly and firmly. u
he l,.A A.
long, deep breaths. It keeps tire
liver and the digestive apparatus
in good working order. And gen.
eraI good health and strength are
moro valuable than localized mus
cuAr deveIo pmsnt.
You see, | don't try 20 raise large
Jumps of muscle in the children" Dr.
Champion adted. with a smile. THAT
idea is out OF date. You don't need
protuberant muscles in your work,
do you? Neither do |. Neither do
| most men and women. The only use
OF muscle in the present day in as an
aid to brains and well developed or
! gans. The only worth OF athletes IL
| to get other boys interested In ath-
lctics. Athletes advertise exercise
The aim Of the average Individual
should be all-roundness."
Isn't it true" asked. that dane
| lHS ~ klNo cOOu
Certainly" he agreed. Dancing
children naturally assume correct al
| titudes, whereas mere directions otter
won't work at all. A good STANDING
attitude requires knees straight, head
! up and chest up. Shoulders SHOULD
| be forgotten. Shoulders thrown barl
, are Just as bad as round shoulders.
Dancing gives this spirited
poise without self conscious ef-
fort, for bad posture 10 primarily
the result Of weakness, tho lack
Of strength to hold ones self erect.
The dsbutante SLOUGH was moth
ing but . confession Of bad
physical condition.
Dancing also increases grace. The
dancer gains control over his legs
and arms. He is as far removed
from stiffness as from sprawling.
"On the whole. I think the mod.
ern interest In the dance a decided,
good thing" concluded DIR. Cramp,
ton. AS they were first practiseo
some of the new steps were OF.
fensive. But they were regulated
and standardized, not by the dane,
ing masters, but by tho public.
have great faith in the static SANITY
OF that public, And ! am glad tina,
the elders have gone back to the
ballroom. Th3 dance will be gooc
y .c :.s.c S' '@'' VI" ~ s''s '''