DISMAL MODERN DANCING

Dunstan Times, Issue 3144, 20 November 1922, Page 7

DISMAL MODERN DANCING

(By P. lieu toy.)

Much has been said of Jate concerning the vulgarity, real or imaginary, of mod'ern dancing. Hut nobody appears to have commented on its dullness. Go into a dancing-hall and watch the faces of the "revellers." On scarcely one will you see the semblance of a, smile. The average expression is one of hard, concentrated' attention, with a "worried" look predominating. For, of course, the everlasting aim is to observe the intricacies of the latest "hug" or "trot." Dancing has become nowadays, to a large extent, a mechanical and' joyless business. Not in these time's does the youthful Borneo seek a Juliet in the ballroom. Juliet would probably prove boring to the dancing young man of the period. He is ready to gyrate even with a mulatto or a bearded lady providing she can "partner" well. To this end "professional" partners are nowadays an institution. For sixpence or a shilling you can hire a perfectly drilled male or female automaton, warranted to smile and utter a, few words if required, or to remain silent if the hirer desires to give all his. or her, attention to the "step." Naturally, the old-time "romance" of the ballroom has departed'. Once upon a time ai dance was a rare festival— something to which one might, look forward, something on which one might look back with gracious memories. But nowadays l one goes to a dance as one goes to business (and with about as much enthusiasm), for it is practically a nightly (and afternoon) occurrence. The glamorous "programme" of the former dancing days l is* dead as Pharaoh. Hoav one used to treasure a programme on which were certain marks about some angel in blue or a pet in pink! Many a. middle-aged man to-day goes through his old desks, and coming across such relics 1 , feel© the glamor of youth, lea]) back to' his blood. But the youth of 1922 will never have this experience. When he is middleaged his memories will hover round automatons who danced with him for half a crown per hour. Ball- rooms were once places where many engagements began and' blossomed. One wonders 1 how many romances begin in our mod'ern dancing rooms, though they might easily end there; for ai man who had fallen in love with a young woman might be disillusioned and disgusted at the sight of her executing some absurd and ungraceful figure:. Romance has been killed by the noise, by the- absurd dances, and, most of a.ll, 'by the hired 1 "partner."

A single woman of independent moans who, it was said, had not been known to have eaten a hearty meal lor 30 years, was the subject of an inquest at Home lately. The only diet.of the woman. Margaret Newton Allison, 00, wan one meal a day. which consisted of an egg or a small milk pudding, or some iish. All efforts to persuade her to eat more, had failed. Medical evidence was that death was due to disease of the heart muscle, following lack of nutrition, and a verdict to that effect was recorded. A Paris message of September 16 fiays:—Considerable surprise' was expressed last Sunday over the fact that the victor of the battle of the Marne. Marshal Joffre, was not present at the anniversary celebration held at Meaux while Viscount French, who played onlv a minor role in tibe battle, was given the place of honor. Reports are current that Marshal -Joffre bad 1 completely forgotten that the anniversary of the battle by which be saved Pan.s •fell on that day and so had accepted an invitation to attend a big dinner at Pontarlier. In speaking at the dinner the Marshal, oblivious of the anniversary of the memorable battle, said: "It was among you that 1 passed the finest days of my career 1 as' eaptaiin of engineers from 1870 to 1880."