THE PERFECT DANCER

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1929, Page 19

THE PERFECT DANCER

KEEP HEALTHY BY DANCING!

By

Phyllis Monkman.

(No. ll.—Copyright.)

You must keep fit to dance; and dancing helps to keep you fit! Women and girls who, normally, could not do a hard day’s work without nervous col-

lapse, dance night after night, and are perfectly fresh and lively next day. Similarly, young business men and women dance two or three nights a week, and suffer no ill effects.

Dancing plays a big part in every boxer’s training! And dancing exercise plays as big a part in my own efforts to keep healthy and active, ready for the calls of my profession. Here are some stage secrets on how to keep really fit for dancing as often as you like. First of all, no cocktails! I am sorry, my dear Miss Modern, but they damage the flawless digestion that is essential to the perfect dancer. Not too many cigarettes; simple food, plain rather than rich; healthy, light clothing; easy-fitting shoes, and care of personal appearance—all these rules have to be religiously followed. Every morning and evening do a few exercises, such as rising up and down on the toes, stretching and bending legs and arms, gently tapping hardened muscles with the finger tips afterwards to ease and refresh them. Reasonable indulgence in games and athletics is good for a dancer; but do hot overindulge, or the legs will become musclebound and clumsy instead of shapely and slim.

In these days, when 90 per cent, of the world’s workers are indoors all day, it is vitally important that plenty of exercise should be taken in the evening. Dancing supplies the need; often enough it improves the looks, besides giving young people splendid social opportunities.

I cannot emphasise too much the im?ortance of wearing suitable and comortable shoes, not only for dancing but for everyday. It pays to wear the best shoes you can afford if you gain extra comfort from them. To a dancer, feet are the most important part of the anatomy. And feet squeezed into shoes a shade too small or pointed can soon be sufficiently crippled, even though the wearer feels very little discomfort, to ruin his or her chances of becoming a really perfect dancer. The heels of dancing shoes should be about 1J inches high for a girl, and about £ inch for a man. Low heels should be worn for everyday; they do not look so Parisian, but they give dancing feet their chance. The health value of dancing is proved by the fact that it is included in increasing numbers of school curricula each year; As to the best type of dance for health, it is difficult to say. Obviously its is absurd for rejuvenated matrons and portly gentlemen to attempt the quickstep; otherwise, generally speaking, plenty of dancing of any kind is fairly sure to be good. Late hours are bad for health; midnight should find really keen dancers in bed, except, of course, on special occasions. Within reason however, the more dancing you do, the better will be your health —and consequently the standard of your dancing! My advice is—dance something, somehow, somewhere, and be happy, healthy and wise in it! I might add wealthy, tr i, for there is no wealth like perfect fitness of mind and body.