MODERN TURKEY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 9 April 1927, Page 11

MODERN TURKEY

T'X a recent letter to “La Bulbarie, “ | i: ' ' M. Yessnz, Constantinople cones- j ll pondent of that journal, described the | t spread of the public' dance craze over j ° Turkey. He said: "‘ln September, ° 1925, Mustaplia Kenial. who is always n ready to do ni.s personal bit where new P reforms are concerned, presided at s ' Smyrna over a ball to which only Jla- d hominedans were invited. That was the first Turkish ball. The thief of t State, who had learned to dance at ° Sofia, wlien he was stationed there in 1913 as military attache to the Turk- ;< ish Legation, executed the fox trot y that evening with the daughter of the 0 Assistant (Governor of Smyrna. 1< “'I bis example was followed iminedi- j’j atelv all o\er the country. In. a few weeks the new fashion of dancing jj spread , all over the republic. Con- u stantinople beat all records. Balls were given by the lied Cross Society, the Society for the Protection of Chil- tl dren, the Women’s Union, the Tour- c< iug Club, the Wounded Veterans, the I Freemasons, the Physicians, and the n League of Aviation. These attracted * thousands of Moslem dancers from all j classes and all social circles —students, n young girls, and women who had lor- d merly gone about in veils. It was the o same in Angora, where sumptuous balls L were given at the residence of Kemal. Every 'Other citv followed suit. h d “Tiie terpsichorean art thus entered fi definitely into Turkish life in the win- d ter of 1925-28. With the season which 1 tl

♦ ON WITH THE DANCE

is just beginning it will flourish still more. Proof of' this is furnished by the ball at the capital on the occasion :>f the anniversary of the proclamation :>£ the republic. The great hall of the new Hotel Erkraf. which is a European palace, was used for the first time as a scene for the frolics of the Angora dancers. More than 3Cd persons, ladies of high society, all the dignitaries of the republic, deputies and juicers, were present. “The dancing was lively. Nevertheess, about two o’clock in the morning, VLustapha Kemal, noticing that many Mfieers in uniiorm were not doing'the ox Lmt and the one step, asked why liey were not out on the floor. = A ieutenant told him that that was the ault of the ladies, who had declined nviations to dance. Then Kemal called or si.once, and said in a loud voice: “ ‘Comrades, 1 cannot imagine that here is in the whole world a woman lapablc of refusing to dance with a Pinkish officer. Your profession is the nost glorious and the most honourable. Phe whole country counts on you. So, repeat, 1 cannot imagine that there s a woman capable of refusing to lame with a Turkish officer. Now, I irder them to dance. Go on the floor. Dance.’ “The ladies and young girls who leard this speeeli, and who had not lared previously to accept invitations tom officers who had not been introluced to them, got up at once. A n tl :he ball continued nntil after dawn.”