The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-07-21
STREET DANCING
ALL THE RAGE
No Town Is Up to Date
E. Now Without This
New Idea
sHIMMY IS BARRED
Northwestern Oklahoma
Towns Are Captured
by Craze
BY c. NJ. SARCHET.

TWIN vi Chids, July
Northern Oklahoma towns are in
the midst OF a street dancing craze
at the present time with no indica-
ton OF a let-up. They are meeting
4 with popular favor and are attend
ed by hundreds OF people, who come
from all surrounding towns and the
rural districts to participate. And
the craze Is extending. for it's be-
Ing taken up by other towns who
see their rivals are putting one over
on them In the way Of entertain
2 ment. IL is not infrequent that sew
cral different towns are holding
street dances the same evening.
AS a rule the American Legion Is
abck OF the street dancing propo-
skion. wherever the entertainment
is provided. The Legion was look
ing around for some method by
which the members could pick up
some money for the maintenance OF
the order. and someone somewhere
suggested a street dance. II caught
popular favor Immediately and has
"a spread rapidly. The result Ia that the
4 legion treasures are being replen-
ished nicely
Al The rule is to have a program OF
.4the popular dances. with the SHIN
ltmy barred. although there is al
tways an occasional square dance to
.tsatisfy those who do not participate
I'm the so-ealled round dances. And
4 when sets" are organized for the
\ 8sduares there is always a goodly
portion OF the dancers participate
,even among those who opine that
4f'they are so old fashioned"
sN the Strccts Are Roped.
Il II takes a town with paved streets
40 have n successful street dance,
" course asphalt, or smooth surface
wing. Is better although those
ms that have brick only are get
ting by in fine shape. The block or
blocks in which the dances are held
are roped OF. shutting off traffic en-
\ tirely. and no one In permitted in
Il side the ropes excepting the dancers
and the persons who are in charge.
Corn meal or chops are used to
make the paving smooth for the feet
OF the dancers. These are spread
plentifully over the entire surface TO
be used ami within a short time after
the dances start the streets are al
most as good a dancing floor as that
of n ballroom.
II takes a little more effort to put
a brick pavement in good dancing
trim, but n supply OF sawdust laid
on first helps very materially when
II becomes mixed with the chops or
cornmeal that IL also sprinkled over
Tire pavement. The sawdust Is cheap
er and fills the cracks nicely, thus
providing a nice surface.
Always Into Wee Hours.
Ponca City and Newkirk have been
the chief street dancing centers thus
r. IA q L.. 4 H.
where throughout this section OF the
state and word comes from Black
we'll and Arkansas City that their
Il. feet are starting TO itch and are
keeping time with the music even
q though II is several miles away.
Then, too, the dances are proving 10
u be attractions TO the citizens of the
s. rural districts and IT towns are
"A anxious to find something that will
n interest the farmers In the way OF
"A entertainment.
n There Is no such thing as asstree'
~ dance closing prior to the wee
x hours OF the morning. They start
n as a rule about $3.50 in the evening
N and continue as long as tho hand car
VI be persuaded to stay on the Job. The
people come to have a good time
and the cool evenings. always prev
alent in oklahoma, give them tn
OPPORTUNITY.
Band Almost Necessary.
To furnish the right sort OF musi,
for a successful street dance, 1t II
almost necessary to have a band, Al
this provides a greater volume o
and louder music than may be OBJ
\ tanned otherwise, and the musi
must extend OF course to the limit
of the dancing space, whether'it b'
one block or more.
The management of a stree dane
is similar to that of the usual publi
or "jitney" dance as they are FIRE
ouently designated. A certain sun
IN charged for each separate dane
and all participants must pay befor
they can participate in another. A
a rule each number costs 10 cents
and sometimes tickets good for tn
entire evening are sold for 81. I
keeps a force OF assistants busy col
lecting the dimes and seeing that al
keep paid up in full.
Requires Master Hand.
1t requires a master hand 10 rul
the square dances that are place.
on the street dance program, 70
there are always twenty-five to fift
,kets TO direct. II possible ma
Who Is accustomed to calling 'em
Is secured, and intermingled witt
music by the band may be heard tn
following through the megaphone o
the caller:
4 Gents round the ladies. but tn
ladies, no;
Ladies' round the gents. but the gent
don't CO."
And as the dance progresses, wi
come:
"Do-se-do,
Chicken IN the dishpan eating up tn
dough-"
And as the ladies leave the oente
and form hands around the gent
who take their places, come this:
Bird hops out and crow hops in
Caw-w-w, Caw-w-w, Caw-w-w!"
Come From Everywhere.
The street dances are proving
be wonderful rendezvous for courtin
couples and sweethearts drive !
from all directions. Automobile
Bxe parked as close 10 the dance a
y pNsible and II close enough TO pre-
a vide resting place, frequently, be
n tween dances. The parked cars ta'
"A up both sides Of the street for seveaI
.4 hloeka IN m oh direction. Good pOlic