The Washington times., 1921-06-02
The Modern Dance Orchestra
BY MEYER DAVIS.

People sigh for the minuet and ga
Vote OF colonial days, but do no
realize that the modern dance music
within the past few years has devel
cped into a fine art. The dance mu-
sicisns of today must be more thar
technical musicians. The moderi
dance demands that the musician play
ing high-class dance music acquire
an additional training, so that he will
be ready to give not only the first
class dance program, but a perform
ance of strictly Musical nature.
To attempt TO explain the evolu-
tion of the modern dance would me-
cessitate almost a graphic history Of
creation: To say that the modern
dance is an evolution would, TO my
mind. be a desecration of the beauti-
ful, graceful, rhythmic dances of the
early ages, about which the greatest
fictionists and historians of the world
have written volumes.
The modern dance 1 would term a
creation OF the times, as II does not
In any way approach my conception
OF the dances OF the early ages. Some
of them, fortunately only a few, are
a good way from being beautiful. pos
sessing only rhythm, but these re.
quire no Individual music score.
To the orchestra leader of todsy is
given the opportunity to observe
closely the steps employed in the
present-day dancing, and have seen
more than half the people on a ball
room floor going through the same
motions and employing the same steps
In a waltz as in fox trot, though
the one Is in three-four time and the
other four-four time. presenting two
distinct rhythms. Writing locally.
particularly 10 this true of some OF
the public dance halls in and around
Washington.
MODERN DANCE A STUDY.
The Interpretation OF the modern
dance differs according to the To-
cality. The fox trot. for instance, is
the same in Boston as in Savannah
but the music must be altered, not In
rhythm but In tempo. to suit the diff
ferent side steps added by the dancers
in each locality Ny orchestras are
travelling over the eastern coast to
such a great extent, during the course
or the season, that this phase of our
business presents quite a difficult
study
1t has been my privilege to play for
some OF the smartest social functions
In the eastern section of the country
from Bar Harbor to New Orleans, and
i find that dancing is divided into
two distinct classes
In exclusive circles, the dancing IL
really more of an art The modern
dances at the social clubs and pri-
vate functions are for the most part
very beautiful. IL In an accomplish
ment rather than a pastime. Quite the
IN fFN ~
hall Here the dance is a recreation
and In no way borders on the artistic.
Novelties seem TO be the watchword
and the orchestra that can make the
dancers look up with surprise and ad =
miration throughout their perform
ance is the one that 10 usually the
most popular.
Washington 10 the place where the
musician must be more versatile than
In any other community. as we get In
ternational dancers here In the Can't
tai and the diversified dancing Ia
quite interesting. The tango Is danced
mere more than In any other American
city.
QUALITY OF MUSIC.
The quality of dance music played
Is steadily improving
The popular composers, we dis
cover. are familiar with standard
works.
Plagiarism. however. is not an un-
mixed evil. as IL familiarizes the pub
lie with good music.
Modern dance themes are oftea
lifted bodily from the old masters
and in many cases have famiIia rized
the public with the old classics.
Notable examples of this have been
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows."
taken from Chopin's "Fantasie I'm.
promptu:" My Baby's Arms" taken
from Ran's "Cavatina;" the ."Vamp,-
taken from Madame Butterfly" and
so on. Innumsrabls instances could
be given.
The familiar remark about the in
ferfority OF the present-day music no
longer applies.
Great Improvement, too. has oc-
CURED in the csliber of musician.
who play dance music. Formerly
only the inferior performers at low
were used: now dance musi-
clans are highly Skilled players whose
salaries are usually In excess of those
paid symphony musicians.
Several f1rst-class dance orchestras
OF nine or ten pieces. now
playing on Broadway are receiving
$4,000 to $500 a week.
IT 10 no uncommon occurrence for
A dance musician to receive from $40
to $50 night for his work nova
days, though s25 to $40 would be
more OF an average. The weekly
income of first-class man will run
anywhere from 800 to 5000.
great number OF symphony
musicians do now play dance music,
and 1t Is a fact that some OF the
finest modern dance orchestras could
stop In the middle of dance number
and perform the hiehest type Of CON