AIRMEN'S HOP

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 192, 15 August 1941, Page 9

AIRMEN'S HOP

Dancing Lessons

In Canada

Ballroom dancing classes under the auspices of the Y.M.C.A. are one of the forms of recreation provided for Empire airmen training in Canada. Mrs. Wyonne Haybittle Hunt, forihei ly of New Plymouth, is in charge of ihe classes, in which she has had a number of New Zealanders. Some of the boys from overseas have danced before, but find Canadian steps so feai-ful and wonderful that they feel the need of coaching before they attempt a publie performance. Some have never danced before.

. An , insight into the work of teaching those members of His Majesty's forces the graceful art of ballroom ', £ | 1 ! lcln £> was given by the newspaper A Iberian in a story of what was seen and heard on the occasion of a visit, to the dancing school. The article states:

This is the waltz we're doing, so slide a little and get off your heels." "Sort of swing it, bovs. You're fine. \ou look like ballet."

"Step, close, step, walk. Do that tour times."

Xow boys, we'll do the hesita Uon."

\ou can get along and keep amused in England without dancing, out here everybody seems to dance, iou re just out of it here if you don t dance," said a lad from Birmingham, mopping his forehead after the effort of going three times around the hall doing a foxtrot step. A curly-headed youth from Niagara wasn't much impressed by the waltz.

Doesn t this get a bit tiresome alter a whole evening, counting one, two, three, one, two, three?" he asked.

His partner explained that one finally arrived at a place where one duln t have to count. He still didn't look convinced.

He YV as No Jitterbug

Leading-Aircraftsman Ivor Barnes ate of Manchester, informed Mrs. Hunt that a girl had undertaken to make a jitterbug of him, but instead she had been converted. "Before the end of the evening she was doing just plain English ballroom," he announced triumphantly. The turnover is rapid. About t\w} lessons and the boys feel ready to go to a dance.

"Are you having a good time?" Mrs. Hunt asked one of them. "Aye." said he with the clipped tones of those who come from north of the Tweed. He looked down at his sft partner and added, "but I feel a hit of a fule having to be pushed aroond by a wee bit lass."