Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-12
Dancing onIceSkates tbeLdtcst:|
Fashionable Society NOU Busy with 'Ice
''DGnsants a GIace" and Not Enough Skat
Kinks or Instructors to Meet the Den,ap

r CB skating, or rather dancing on
skates. is the newest fashionable
- amusement. There is every indica-
ton that the new craze, which already
is countrywide in extent. will be taken
up by people of all ages, and in all
walks of life, with the same enthusiasm
that has converted men, women and
children into fox-trotters and tango-ex-
perts during the past three or four sea-
sons.
Skating on ice is considerably more
difficult for adults to learn than dancing.
Dancing on the ice is a feat which only
expert skaters dare to tackle. Never
theless, the difficulties Of the new fad
seem to have had little effect on It's
popularity. and the Kinks throughout the
country are now crowded morning, noon
and night with debutantes and society
matrons who are determined to become
expert skaters and ice-dancers in the
shortest possible time.
The dances which expert skaters are
able to execute on the ice include the
old-fashioned waltz the ten-step, another
form Of waltz the fox-trot and various
notifications OF the other dances which
have become popular In recent seasons.
While these ice-dances look extremely
difficult to perform, the accomplishment
follows easily enough after the funda.
mental figures of figure-skating have
been acquired. A good ngure-skater can
learn new figures with as much facility
as a dancer learns new steps. The main
thing that 10 necessary Is to become
adept at ordinary fgure-skating. Dane
ing on ice will then follow easily enough,
although, of course, It will require q good
deal of practise.
The foundation OF all figure-skating is
the ability to use the four edges Of the
skates-the inside left, the outside left,
the inside right and the outside right,
and to be able TO skate backward on
either OF these edges Just as readily as
forward. Daily practise on these funda-
mentals is essential to progress in Ice
dancing.
The fact that the new amusement has
already taken a firm hold is evidenced
I'm many ways. Four of New York's
most fashionable hotels have already
planned ice-rinks for the use OF their
patrons. The Blltmore is the first to
open Its rink to the public. The Wal
dorf Is said to be Investing In the
neighborhood of million dollars In a
rink on the roof of its new annex The
Hotel Astor and the McAlpin are now
arranging similar facilities. Some Of the
restaurants and cabarets which have
hitherto made their dancing-fioors their
principal attraction are preparing to sub
stitute ice for hardwood so that those
who have danced may hereafter skate
instead.
Most significant Of all, perhaps, Is the
thorough manner In which New York,
Boston and Chicago society has taken
the lead In adopting the new fad. In
New York, club was formed several
weeks ago by enthusiasts and its mem.
bership includes most OF the debutantes
Of the season, the girls who are to come
out next year and some young married
people. Among subscribers to the club
are Mrs. John Jacob Astor, Mr. and Mrs.
Cornelius Vanderbilt, Mr.. and Mrs. Ed
win Gould, Mr.. and Mrs. Irving Brokaw
and host of others whose names are
very wen known In the most exclusive
social circles.
This club has engaged the ST. Nicholas
Skating Rink for Monday afternoons for
the entire season. which lasts until the
end of April Professional skaters and
instructors have been engaged TO In
struct the members In the intricaoies Of
ice-dancing.
In Boston, expert skaters have been
engaged by the Boston Skating Club, an
exclusive organization, TO teach society
the new fad. Mr.. and Mrs. A. Windsor
Wills, Miss Eleanora Sears and Miss
Edith Rotch are, perhaps. the most promi-
nent Of Back Bay fashionables who are
leading the movement In New England.
In Chicago, the Sherman House some
time ago anticipated the present craze
and installed a skating-rink In the Col
lege Inn. In the basement, in place of the
dancing floor. IL was foreseen that dane
ing was losing its hold and that ice-skat
ing was going to take its place. The
change has met with great success.
That the general public is going "a
follow society's head and make skating
the principal diversion this Winter Is In
dlcated plainly bv the unusually large
number OF people who have already
taken up the snort at the Kinks.
At ST. Nicholas Rink. for instance, rec
cord crowds have been IN attendance a
every session since the opening of tn
season on November 1. This rink &C
commodities 500 peoDle on the ice at
time and there are three sessions day
Men and women of all ages are clamoT
ing for instruction or for a chance Il
practise and perfect themselves in tn
new skatingdancea
The same situation prevails at tn
other Kinks throughout the country
There are two large Kinks on the Coasi
one at Seattle and the other at Portland
Both are doing a record business, an
similar enthusiasm IL evident I'm Detroit
Cleveland, PITTSBURGH. and Chicago.
The new amusement win not score Il
greatest triumph, perhaps. until free
ing weather arrives when the Unite
capacity Of the indoor Kinks viii %
aalnnnarllad hr the unlimited facilliie