The Bismarck tribune., 1923-01-17
FASHION KEEPS
AWAY FROM
STREETPARADE
Dance Halls and Tea Rooms
Great Show Palaces of
Paris Now

Paris, Jan 17--Iurnlng away from
his hotel with few hours of idle
time at his disposal, the visitor in
Paris who seeks the show windows
of the life Of the capital will, within
a few blocks, find what he is looking
for in one of the many establish
ments which the French call "danc-
ings." The most popular places num-
ber at least a dozen. They are small
tea and supper rooms. A pompous
and uniform man is on duty at the
street door, but. the place itself is
like as not tucked away on an upper
floor away from the noise of the
street.
The world passes through these
places, but America furnished the
nucleus of the stock companies and
the audience that stage a constantly
shifting show. Half the preople pres
ent have come to dance, the others
to watch and to talk, and to make
new friends.
Fashion does not parade the
Streets in Paris. New gowns are not
seen on the rue de la Paix as they
may be on the "Maln Streets" of
America. Many of them appear on
models at the races, on the stage,
and to less extent in theatre aud
fences but the tourist sees more of
the dressmakers and the milliner's
work at the tea tables or in nignt
cafes than at all the other peacock
alleys" to which the visitor has ac-
cess.
American jazz bands, or "mastersT
OF syncopation," still predomnate at
the "dancings," but they are being
Frenchified. American music ranks
as the best for dancing, but Ameri-
cans abreast of the times at home
sometimes notice music they first
heard several years ago on the other
side.
When interest begins to lag on the
waxed floor entertainers, chiefly
American, are brought on to stim-
ulate trade, and they and the nng-
Ish nearly monopolize that part of
the show. Professional dancers also
are often American, although the
professional" who dances with the
women whose escorts come only to
look, and who appear on the WATERS
check for ten farncs dance are
more often French or of some I'M
certain nationality.
Models, actresses, and fashion
leaders show their beautiful clothes
at these places, and many a good
cuStOmnr fo
maker whose gown attracted atten-
ton there and whose wearer, -. the
dressmaker's payroll, found some
one to- introduce her to the wealthy
prospect.
There is strange contrast of peo-
pie in these elaborate dance rooms.
where a cup of tea costs a dollar
and cake is extra. English is spoken
almost as much as French, with Rus
sian fair third. Much of the French
has foreign accent, for there is
queer procession Of vague nation
altles constantly drifting through
the pleasure circles of Paris. There
are many Of these well-dressed men
and women with hard faces, who
talk little of themselves, and who
seem to have no occupation. Then
there is considerable element of the
frothier part of upper society but
the real audience is composed of the
body of tourists from abroad and
the French provinces who have come
to- see how Paris amuses itself.
Dancing seems to be the least con-
Germ of the "dancings." Nevertheless
it goes on constantly on the small
crowded floor,l frequently linoleum-
covered, faster in the waltz than
American like, and slower in the 9TH
er dances. ,sa.
Dancing in Paris often has been
said to be dying out, but so far there
has been no deduction in the number
Of these places with queer names
like :"My Sisters Garden" and "The
So Different" Real dancing mean,
time, in the big. old time bathrooms
Of the Bal Butler, Moulin de la Ga
letteS and other place linked with
the history of the artist quarters,
goes on as>always, unspoiled by the
after-war Oddities of the "best pla-
ces."