NEW DANCING STEPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18996, 18 April 1925, Page 12

NEW DANCING STEPS.

THE STYLE FOR 1925. FOX TROT AND WALTZING. SIMPLE MOVEMENTS IN VOGUE. The now dancing season, which is now commencing in Auckland, is unlikely to seo tho introduction of any vital changes, either in steps or style—at least until many months have passed. Not that the modern dance is undergoing little transformation, but merely that it takes time for the Auckland devotee to assimilate tho changes and innovations which constitute at any particular time tho "dancing craze" df London and Paris. One thing is fairly obvious. The ballroom danco is becoming simpler, more graceful and freer from those interspersed embellishments that a few years ago made the fox trot and one-step things of wonI drous complication. L'y dint of experiment and elimination, tho ballroom dance of 1925 has been reduced to little more than rudiments, in which two or three elementary steps are used over ar.d over again to produce the perfect result. A humourist in Punch recently pictured an elderly lady and gentleman watching, from tho seclusion of the conservatory, tho young people of tho party tripping a lively fox trot to the strains of a jazz band. Turning to his companion, the amiablo old gentloman remarks: "My dear, this modern dancing reminds me of a man going for a walk with someone who won't get out of his way." And that is precisely what the modern fox trot is. It is a succession of walking steps, with the turns mads at exactly the same tempo, and a quick step occasionally thrown in for relief. Dancing the Latest Fox Trot. Watching two good dancers is a pleasure in itsolf. "if they are following the style in vogue they will face each other and never depart from that position. They will walk, sometimes forward, sometimes backward, in time to the music, turning frequently with what is known as the "open walking turn," which is done to tho same time as the walking steps, and adding, at not-too-frequent intervals, short side steps, single quick steps, and hesitations as the fancy dictates. Tho chasse step, which used to be employed in turning, has been completely superceded for the walking step, and it is tho era of the walking step which has fostered tho idea in some minds that modern dancing is dull, monotonous, and ■ uninteresting. The dancing enthusiast will reply that it is graceful, intensely expressive of the individuality of the dancer, and adaptable to the tempo and character of the music. And even the walking steps, at first sight so ridiculously simple, aro inherently rhythmic; holding tho dancers in a poise and balance they would scarcely adopt in ordinary walking. If the modern danco is not so rollicky and joyous as the dances of 20 years ago, it is "at least more elegant and moro readily moulded to the dancer's personality. Quieter Dance Music. Those who take genuine pride in maintaining the status and decorum of ballroom dancing, resent bitterly the aspersions occasionally cast upon the pastime, sometimes maliciously, sometimes unwittingly. There is, of course, dancing—and dancing, and while there arc dance halls in Auckland where minor vulgarisms would cause the puritanically-minded to gasp in astonishment, it would bo futile to throw all-embracing condemnation at a pleasant and beneficial pastime for the faults of the uncultured and ignorant. The misused word " jazz " probably accounts for much of tho misunderstanding. It is not so many months since a poet of unhonoured fame wrote: — " Unspeakable Jazz " must vanish away Out into the limbo of yesterday. Its music and dancing are fierce and free. Suggestive of vice anil vulgarity. Nothing degrading for ever can last. Let us revive tho sweet grace of the past. Apart from tho modern dancing, which, at its best, is becoming and refined. " jazz " music, of unhallowed name, is quickly growing a thing of the past. The tendency to make dance music quieter, slower, and moro melodious, set. in last year, and has continued with improved results. Blare, unreasoned noise and the weird screeching that gave the name " jazz " a. universal notoriety, have disappeared, giving place, in some instances, to soft, whispering music that comes as . a refreshing contrast. Typical Present-day Programme. A cabaret programme in Auckland today is comprised almost wholly of foxtrots, though the tendency of playing sortie at a faster speed than others is becoming moro pronounced. This is a reaction from last year's craze for the dance known as the. " Blues," an abnormally slow dance, in which very long, gliding steps wore the principal feature. With (ho death of the " Blues," dancers have conic to favour a quick-step fox-trot (taking the placo of the old one-step), in which the rhythmic walk and open turn are practically tho only steps possible, and a slow fox-trot, in which some of tho slow, gliding steps and side-steps of the " Blues " are retained. fn addition to the fox trot, in two tempos, the waltz has come back into favour, and no danco programme in Auckland is complete without it. It is not quite the old-fashioned waltz, however, but a much slower" danco, in which tho pivots show greater deliberation. This waltz, danced to muffled, haunting melodies, and dimmed coloured lights, carries a subtle, soothing atmosphere which appeals strongly by way of contrast. " Tango Teas" in London. Thus far, the Auckland dance hall and cabaret procedure is not so materially different from London practice. It is tho likelihood of the tango being introduced, however, which is at present exciting interest, in dancing circles. According to visitors to Europe, tho much-discussed tango is the rago in Paris, and has made definite progress in London after many failures. This dance, an exotic creation of LatinAmerican origin, has, of course, been substantially toned down and adapted to the moro phlegmatic English temperament, and in its present form is a distinctive dance, containing only about three foundation steps, allied more closely to tho fox trot than the waltz, and danced to specially-composed music. In spite of tho oft-repeated contention , that it is unsuited to the Anglo-Saxon temperament, the tango seems to have : at last found a definite place in recherche circles iu London, and "tango teas" are : said to be a feature of the social life of 1 the metropolis. Its introduction into Auckland would offer further variety and interest to danco enthusiasts. It need hardly bo. added that the Aucklander takes his and her dancing seriously. Throughout tho whole of tho past summer, cabaret and dance halls re- ■ mained open and were well patronised, and when people, not all so young as might be supposed, can find pleasure ] and recreation in this energetic fashion through the semi-tropical heat of an Auckland summer, the growing popularity of danciti" could scarcely be more adequately demonstrated.