The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-06-29
o Ssss NEA
In New York
By GEORGE ROSS

New York-The police took mat ters into their hands the other day and decreed that Taxi Dancers must earn @ minimum wage of 426 a week. The Dime-a-Dance girls, 1t is said, got the raise by squawking at City Hall about conditions. With competition keen, most of them were lucky in the past to run up Q weekly pay envelope of SIS. And many complained of nursing their tired, dainty dogs for as little as $10 with which to eke out a Squal- i'd existence.
 Never on the decline, taxi dance halls have become e drug on the night life of Manhattan. No soli- tary male sauntering on Broadway can boast that he has crossed from Times Square to Columbus Circle without having a coupon thrust in- to his hand, bidding him to a dime a-dance parlor. Or to a nicklea- dance den-for cutraterS have seen inuscling in. Their brasSy music re- echoes in the streets and their gar- ish neons make the night hideous with durid come-ons.
 But not all of them. Prcwling around, I stumbled upon some H. Illuminating notes about tho pro- fession that has been ir1imortaliz- cd in Q blues song and. often justly inaligned in a police blotter. Let lonely men listen.
 Classy Places
 Dancehalls are divided by the trade into classiflcations of pres tige. No. l, the Ballroom, affects dignity and decoruTn, abhors being called 6 dancehall because of It's open to men and women who wish to dance. Famous bands rotate in one or two night stands for the sake of cariety, and refreshments are served at the him of tho danc- ing ring. Bathrooms will not hire hostesses who cannot produce less than three references from reliable citizens, testifying as to their char acter and terpsichoreai1 ability.
 The taxi dancehali, No. 2, docs not worry itself sick about any of the foregoining refinements. It is this type of establishment that has through the whole business into disrepute. In the tawdry taxi hall, there are always signs reading Girls Wanted" and applicants may show iiIo and start dancing the same evening. It solicts the patronage of men solely and dlScourages couples from entering, because couples are dead loss to the "Sit Out" side- line. S
 Here is an item that adds con- siderable revenue to the Second- rate dance palaces. For until re- gently, fellow could ask his danc- ing companion to sit out the next number for e drink and if possible, conversation. The prices varied for this service, from $2.so to $500 per hour.
 Now the police have regulated the sit-Out by allowing the prac- tise to continue only in places which observe the minimum wage and close promptly ct l:30 .. m.
 Costly Company
 Back to the last of the dance- hal ltrio. No. 3, the Dancing Acad- erny, is a communal place, frequent cd chiefly by elderly crowds with rhythm rampant in their feet. They are distributed in the foreign quar- ters around the city. There are German Academies in Yorkvilie, Latin dance halls in the San Juan section and the Irish are especially keen about their own.
 It is the End type of dance hall their perigrinations. These are the places where Sit-Outs are costly. The average dance tunes never exceed 3 minutes. The prices for liquid refrheshments are out- rageous. And logically enough, the ''rostesses" of these tax halls earn more than their stepping sisters in the bathrooms. All hostesses work on commission an average og cent out of every 1O-cent dance. And about $4 for every $6 Sit-Out.