“One of London’s Strangest Dances.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 183, 4 August 1931, Page 6

“One of London’s Strangest Dances.”

(Special to the “ Star.”) LONDON, June 24. London had one of its strangest dances of the season when the “Erratics” held a ball at the Eccleston Hotel. When a reporter arrived at the hotel he was greeted by Sir James Erslcine. When he asked Sir James what the “Erratics” were, he answered: “You had better ask my son, Mr Keith Erskine.” Mr Keith Erskine, with a smile, replied that the “ Erratics ” are a group of young men and women with unconventional ideas, who enjoy themselves in an original manner, such as going out for picnic parties before breakfast. The dance was opened by Miss Pauline Gower, Mr Keith Erskine’s fiancee, who burst a large balloon as a signal that the ball had begun. A few minutes later the young women were dancing with air balloons attached to the hem of their skirts, and as they danced the young men of other couples tried to stamp on the balloons, while the laughing girls again and again cleverly whisked them out of their way. At midnight, while the dancers were foxtrotting round tho room, they were startled to see a number of men dressed in ordinary clothes rush in and close the doors. People were forbidden to leave the ballroom, and one young man produced a notebook and started to take names and addresses, explaining that a raid was being carried out by the police. The surprised dancers later found out that this was done as a joke, the “ officer ” in charge being a member of the “ Erratics.”