Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-01-14
JAZZ DANCES MUST
GO, SAY THE BOSSES
keep Your-Distance" Steps To
Supplant the "Shimmy Lock"
And Other Closeup Figures
(By Associated Press)

| j 4.
dances, are to displacetthe mod
ern jazz steps, if the nationwide
reform movement undertaken by
the American National Associa-
ton of masters of the dancing
proves successful. The dancing
masters, it is announced here,
count upon the support of moth
ers, fathers, daughters, sons,
dance hall proprietors, dancing
teachers and hostesses-and if
necessary the police department
Ito exterminate the "half Mel
SON." "body hold" "shimmy lock"
and other Imported ballroom
grips which, arets prac ticedH By
some dancers. Cheap and vu1gai.
music is also to sca.ne under the
ban and, according to d circular
just issued by the association.
those in charge of community Or
public dances are urged to show
their opposition to undesirable
dances by distributing "you will
please leave the hall" cards tc
those who persist in offending.
The women, it is charged are
often as much to blame as theil
partners and, in some cases,
dance hall proprietors are. adj
vised to pick out ten or a dozen
Objectionable Q couples and, if
warning is disregarded, to GUST
them at once.
"You will soon see," the cir
cular reads, 'that you have rails
ed the standard Of your establish
nent and that the loss will be
more than made UP by double the
number of persons who have re-
spect for you and SQur dances"
Some Of the rules and regula-
tons which are urged to obey
follow: AZ
Dance music should be bright
and cheerful, properly accented
and the phrasess1well divided.
Cheap, vulgar.s. 1r.asies of the 4ex-
treme -ssjazzs.AApe ;sisiss es; eHess;;
vulgar meanlngl ss dancing. III
is useless to expect refined dare
ing when the music lacks all re-
inement, for, after all, what is
lancing but an Interpretation o.
| music?
'The Association has adopted
he following ternpos, it being
impossible the masters say, t.
regulate fast dancing:
'Waltz-4S measures to min
ute.
."Two-step-54 measures to
minute
"One-step-66 measures to the
minute.
"Fox-trot-4O measures to
minute.
Dancers should assume a
| light, graceful position" say the
masters. There should be nc
jerky half-steps for these cause
undesirable vibrations. Partners
should not dance with checks
close or touching nor should the
clasp be tight. Neck holds. are
positively unpardonablei The
gentleman's arm should -encircle
| his partners waist, his hand rest
ing lightly just above the waist
line. The lady's left arm should
not encircle her partners should.
ers or neck. ,.-,,,E,e..
| Steps or movements, that can
lot be controlled should not be
aught by dancing teachers
| Short side steps, first right, ther
left, when done continuously, are
not conducive to refined dancing
md should not be permitted
'Shimmy dancing shaking or
Jerking of the upper part of the
body while taking short steps or
standing still, should not be toll
terated.
"The proper dancing nster
should be the same ASIA patuya
walking one except in exhibjtien
lancing, which properly belongs
o the stage, not the, BALLROOM
Exceptionally long or short.stePs
IRE not in good form. ,s.p ~.
Dancing should be from the
waist down, not from the waist
up. Copying of the extremes
ised on the modern ,stage,.is. in
BAD taste Remember that the
majority of dancers desire tic
| dance according to the best ac-
,epted standards, that is, without
| the slightest trace of offense to
| lightly or decorum. 4