DEAN ON DANCING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12687, 8 July 1919, Page 7

DEAN ON DANCING.

■ :■— -*- TheDoan of Mancliest-or has broadminded views on dancing as will be seen by the following article recently published by him:— . Dancing is as old as humanity itself, as.:old as tears and laughter; the natural rhythmical expression of human emotion and of the joy of life. I>ancing is not merely a product and a, feature of town life. It is remarkable that Scottish Puritanism,- oven in its severest clays, has never suppressed dancing m the Highland glens. Today ■in districts . of the • • Highlands, where'the old strict observance of the Sabbath 7 survives, dancing is tlie most> popular social recreation, and lads and lasses, who to the townsmen might appear heavy and dull, as soon as the fiddle strikes up suffer a change and appear alert and graceful. In our 44r-ea.t industrial townst dancing has .never been more popular or more universal. It seems to provide a natural outlet from the drabness of surroundings and the monotony of modern industrial processes. Girls especially seem to feel an absolute necessity for some outlet for their physical energy. Eveu after long hours in a factory, though mentally ttired, they will still dance. In the absence of male' companions they dance freely and readily among themselves. . To girls and men of the" working class dancing is, as a rule, a, far. more solemn and stately proceeding than it is to their richer brothers and sisters. No doubt "there are undesirable danc-ing-halls whore the "bunny-hug' and the ''dip" are unduly prominent, but tins is by no means a necessary part of the joy of dancing for them. To the majority dancing is an art, and they have retained many of tho 'stately measures of our forefathers',, which have entirely disappeared from tho f modern society ballroom. Many varieties of step-dancing are practised instead of. the perpetual Boston and waltz. An M.C. who takes his position very seriously rules the proceedings with a firm hand, and all obey him implicitly.