Dancing Time

Otago Witness, Issue 3763, 27 April 1926, Page 80

Dancing Time

AN INTRIGUING NEW DANCE

AMERICA'S •‘CHARLESTON” INVADES BRITAIN OTHER INNOVATIONS THIS SEASON By ALEC. STANTON. (Author of “Ballroom Dancing and How to Enjoy It.”) (Copyright.—For the Witness.)

On everybody’s lips at the opening of the new dance season is, of course, the inevitable question: “Will there be a new dance?” It can safely be said that there is at least one novelty for the amateur. This is the Charlestc . about which dancers have already heard a good deal. The Charleston is to be the catch of the season. As usual, it comes- from America. A dancer of average ability can pick it up in two or three lessons, but, for the less experienced, it requires practice and patience-

The Charleston is likely to be viewed with prejudice until you have danced it, and this is because it departs, to a certain extent, from the waving, smooth-flowing glide to which we are accustomed in the Fox-trot. Once you have sampled its intriguing movements for yourself, however, all doubt as to its suitability as a new measure should disappear. It certainly looks less enjoyable than it proves in practice. HOW IT IS DANCED.

I am indebted to Miss Barbara Miles and Mr Maxwell Stuart, the world’s champion ballroom dancers for 1924-25 and in the front rank of London’s teachers, for the details of this novelty. The Charleston consists of three main movements: the Charleston “Bump,” as it is excitingly called, the Single Point, and the Double Point. The “Bump’’ is an ordinary walk with a sharp tap of the heels. In the Single Point the partners make use of a forward and backward movement with a swinging lilt in which the right heel alone does the tapping, while the left toe forms the point. The Double Point consists of a forward and sidewavs movement, in which the “heel-tap” follows a chasse. Every time the man moves diagonally forward lie takes this little pace to the side. For the lady, of course (as it must be assumed in all the steps described in this series), the reverse action is adopted. All this probably sounds very complicated. fyit it need not alarm you. Acquiring the Vance is largely a matter of getting accustomed to the use of one’s heels after a long course of dancing in which the heel has been used only for turning movements. WILL IT SUCCEED? The popularity of this dance is, at the present moment, in the balance. Ii certainly has a better chance than that nightmare of the ball-room, the Blues, for music is infinitely brighter and more suited to o«r temperament. The success of a dance depends very much on the temperamental factor, and the Charleston, which is fanciful, gay, and exhilarating, is undoubtedly, in the right mood. But you will need to take lessons. You may not find them neiressar* for the other ballroom dances, but the Charleston cannot well be left to look after itself: Its adoption depends on the care with which the amateur introduces it. Try it on vonr own account, and you ."re likely to fall into those absurd American exaggerations which are enough to kill any dance. Try it with a teacher, and you "'ill not only enioy it more; you will be safeguarding the dance from general abuse. OTHER DANCE NOVELTIES. The prospect of other novelties are not very bright at the present moment. They consist chiefly of variations in the Foxtrot and the Waltz, a revival of the Tango (hut we always have that!) and some eccentric- steps which all but advanced dancers will be wise to avoid. I encountered some of these eccentricities in France, where a number of “standstill” steps and some side-step sensations perfectly adapted to music-hall acrobats, were brought in as a diversion.' Don’t be misled bv those oddities. They are nothing to do with us. An inmportant point to which attention ehould be given at the opening of the season is he choice of a partner. I do not implv, of course that your partner should nlwavs be the same person, but some general considerations should be observed. YOU AND YOUR PARTNER. The man’s dancing partner should be a little shorter than he is himself. Exact equality in hoieht, or, on the other band, too great a difference, will affect both the hold and the stride. The hold remains the same. If you are the man, keep the fingers of your right hand flat and closed on vour partner’s back just above the shoulder-blade. Keep the elbow up. The other hand should take your partner’s in an easy Krip, so that the arms of both dancers make an arch of which the fingers foim 4he apex.

The lady’s left hand should lie on the man’s shoulder, with the fingers closed and placed just beneath the coat collar. This is the official dance position, but it can be slightly varied to suit individual tastes. Keep your feet as close together as possible, so that, in passing, they almost touch. This is an important point. Dancers should move from the hips, and avoid attempting to control the movement with their shoulders, which is absolutely fatal. Finally, if you want to get the most out of dancing, learn a few simple steps and stick to them. The best dancers have such a mastery of the ordinary ballroom measures that they perform them without any effort. In this lies the whole secret of successful dancing, but it can onlv be obtained by the confidence and the added enjoyment which "come of practice.