THE AUSTRALIAN ART OF DANCING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 212, 1 June 1908, Page 5

THE AUSTRALIAN ART OF DANCING.

The rush and scurry of modern-lifo is . exemplified in the madj wild way wo dance V nowadays (writes " Christina" in tho " Aus; tralasian.") Wo}'can't do anything calmly or quietly;.'.we u s iiriust r be always in. a frantic, tear, whether ythe occasion .demands it or : not,: so walking has; developed-into .a. run, Bnd dancing into a gallop. When the lancers degenerated, - some • years ago into > the ■ "Eteheri".: variety,<■so-called (though I am mistaken: if oiirneat arid natty. Jane would "■ bemean herself with sich "), ,the chaperones were horrified. "■ My . dear,".' the chaipeione ■ . . would scold . the next'.: day after a dance, " if that hatefuryoung Mr. . Jones grabs you again iii myjpresencp as if you were a dummy in a Victoria Cross raco,'and pranceß off with you to- goodness knows where, I shall refuse positively;to take you to another. ball." / "I tried to stop him," Phyllis would protest, "I did indeed, Aunt Maria. But he-almost lifted me,off,-my feet."' That.was what had caused 'Aunt;:, Maria's indication j so anger always supervened: after that .unguarded remark. But the* Phyllises'managed gradually - .• to leavo tho'chaperones :"out of it" after a time, and now; only-. two or three] married, -: ■ ladies,' and f .those 'comparatively ' young,-, and' . mostly flirtatious', Are; •invited to . dances. It ' wasthought' that.'kitchen lancers , would soon' havo their 'day; Not. a. bit of- it. Romping Btill holds . sway| as : it , has ; done'for a decade • and more.'*lt : is'difficultvfor'the. spectators' io disintegrate'the various figures (human and .otherwise); in the lancers, and even the' sets, at a;" really jolly dance," fly into their ' neighbours'. ground, sometimes; careering en ■ masse tho'.'whole length of the, room.' {All the " figures " are galloped through, except ; tho last. That is begun with a,, violent gallop-round by everybody, and. finished: by, nobody./ Clasping-their, partners firmly be- \ ■ ' noa'th the arriis,. the young men ;'escape.. The music, plays ',on,:ibut : :the; dancWs, panting and' breathless, aro earnestly hunting ,for i -, cosy corners, if perchance these havo not [ all been previously jumped by the blase ones, who emphatically decline to danco squares at . ('all. :: : ; .:,;--VJ,V : ' • : .'- I;. ■; v ' _ The old-fashioned country dances that de- " lighted our grandparents, and of which they ! ' . speak with a . merry. 'twinkle' in; their 'dear,faded eyes, performmg as best they may' a few. intricate'and -rhythmical steps in illuswould generation. Imagine .tho minuetiv:which ;-,we;-all .so much admire in " Mp'nsiour ;Beaucaire,", / /' 1 Tho Pimpernel,'' ;etc./';being i ;transferred .; to our-.modern. ballro'oriis.\;;We have, no , - for nonsonse"Jike;thtitj!'Sto the\accbmpani~ ;- As the crippled,-'rheumaticky, old'-dames .in " Dorothy " sirig ;in their ■ cracked voices, "Dancing is riot,what it used to be." Young men' havo 'scarcely, sufficient j grace' to 'invita the girls, in a. courteous manner, to dance: Tho stateliesV'.of^invitatipns:o>TOf6;. , 'pven- l i .t6, the fair damsels 'hy tho young men of'former times (designated / " fops,''' ," dudes," ■ and " dandies " by thoso .of the-present - ■■ namely, ' 1 Wiil tho sweetest lady in nil tho . world deign to step : ,a measure with hor most ;humble i . servant? " '/ At : this ,is what our grandmothers "tell you' can't really'believe all, they, say .*T>Prcbably thoy only readmit in a book, and Hhought how nice it sounded! The old-rworld reques'ts,i and : even tho formula, " May - I have the pleasuro?" havo heeu superseded by such casual remarks as,-.".1 say; feel on for a hop round? " or " Jig,a bit o' this." or simply " Come : along.!'B.v the way,- this last represents tho acme of tenderness, and a girl; when,she hears it commaridinglv given knows " for certain sure " she is " it "