Gilpin observer., 1919-05-01
DANCING CRAZE .
EhCULFS PARIS
Comes Back With Greater zest
Than Ever Before.
AMERICAN STEPS THE rage

Young and Old Take Lessons to Re.
gain the Degree Of Efficiency They
Had Attained Before the Warlsa.
Ions Have Sprung Up All Over Paris
Fox Tret and One Step All the
Rage and Jazz Bands Are Popular,
Once more the dance, the modern
ballroom variety, has come into its
own In Paris. Four years of suppress
sion due to the war have brought 1t
back In blaze of glory and with
greater zest and more adherents than
ever before In its Partisan history.
Within the last few weeks salons have
literally sprung up all over Paris in
every kind Of neighborhood, and thou
sands Of Parisians, young and old, of
Doth sexes, are taking lessons In order
to regain the degree of efficiency they
had attained before the war.
This time the modern American
dances, the fox trot and the one e-step
are receiving the greatest attention.
The comparatively few teachers in
Paris who are familiar with these
dances are worked overtime from one
weeks end to the other. Among these
teachers there are said to be several
French pOilus who, as members of mis-
sions, visited the United States DUR
Ing the war and there acquired
knowledge Of the American dances.
In the very exclusive set Of Paris
certain well-known dancer is reported
to be reaping harvest. He teaches
stately French DANES with mature
daughters and very young girls who
have not yet been introduced to So
ciety. For such lessons he is said to
receive 250 francs, or $50.
Teach American Dances.
One of the largest revues now show
Ing in Paris has announced the in
clusion Of special dancing act in
which American dances will be taught
from the stage by an American couple,
both well-knOwn dancers in New York.
On the famous Boulevard des Champs
Elysees two salons have been opened
and on several nights in the week one
may see long line of motors and tax
icabs drawn up In front of these es.
tablishments waiting to carry home the
Partisan business man, his wife and
daughter who have been spending the
evening in learning to dance.
And as in everything else which has
to do with pleasure, the French people
have entered into the spirit Of the
dance with all the jOyousness Of youth
and are having great fun in learning
the American steps. Four years was
long time to abstain from dancing,
but the French faithfully observed the
rule against dancing in wartime. Now
that Germany has been defeated and
the signing Of peace not far distant
they feel they are justified in resum.
ing dancing.
London danced during the war ITO
forget the war;" Paris now dances in
an attempt to realize peace. In fact.
all Europe is now dancing; dancing
all the foolish, crazy steps which can
be conceived. as II In a strenuous ef.
fort to make up for the pleasure lost
during the world struggle.
To give an idea Of the wealth Of
color and decoration with which the
Partisan salons are surrounded, It
might be interesting to look In on one
place which Is proving popular. It
is typical in its atmosphere Of the spir.
II Of the moment. A French poilu,
not yet demobilized, is Its director,
and he has indeed evolved an unique
temple Of dancing.
The motif Of the salon is Chinese,
suppose. That strange, deep Chi.
nese yellow serves as coloring for the
walls. with futurist apple blossoms
painted on them. The woodwork is a
dull, heavy black. nothing more. Long
black curtains, striped with yellow rib
bon, hang from the windows. There
are inner curtains Of gold silk. A mu-
sician's alcove is hid by gold tissue
curtains.
Jazz Bands All the Rage.
The whole room rather intoxicates
one and many conservative soul
would not care to dance there. But
It Is modern and more or less accurate
ly reflects the mood In which Parisi.
ans are resuming the dance. The sa-
lon actually shrieks jazz, and jazz
dancing. with all It implies, is GER
tainly the vogue In Paris.
And speaking Of jazz It is interest.
Ing to note that no music hall, revue
or vaudeville show Is quite complete
In Paris unless It boasts In large let.
ters Complete American Jazz Band"
These jazz bands-no one knows where
they came from-really make our
American variety seem conservative,
tame affair. As one American officer
remarked In my hearing at one Of the
Paris revues the other night, "These
Paris jazz bands are the jazziest things
I ever heard, and I've lived in New
York all my life."
But to get back to the dance. New
York better step lively II she does not