SONGS AND DANCES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19768, 16 February 1927, Page 3

SONGS AND DANCES

NEW YORK’S LATEST HITS CHARLESTON OUT OF DATE New York has almost forgotten how to Charleston. With the “Upper Ten’’ in America those whose names are to be found in the Social Register—it was never more than a fad and has now been dropped completely. With the large remainder of the dancing public it is dying out because the public dancing halls will not allow it, writes B.H.M. in “The Daily Mail.” I have seen an M.C. march across to a couple who were kicking their legs in a quiet corner and say: “Passilively no Chaarleston in this haal!” It seems strange to walk into a London ball-room and to see everyone, without exception, “Charlestoning,’’ while the indicator in the big dance halls reads “Charleston” as distinct from 1 ‘ foxtrot. ” Danced as Solo. The Charleston, however, is still danced as a solo on Broadway and is i seen in competitions. A more' popular solo danced is the Black Bottom —properly, the black bottom of the Swanee River, according to the words of the song which induced it. Exhibitions of this are often given, I but no ball-room adaptation has yet been evolved. The quick foxtrot holds the field at present Five dances out of six are of this type, though a variation in style, danced to the same time, is tho “ Collegiate',” a measure as intricate as it is clever. Collegiate contests show a very high level of dancing, but the style is far too jerky to become popular. Waltzes are danced sometimes, badly according to English standards, and without much enthusiasm. This seems a as New York musical shows are not lacking in good waltz tunes. The tango, with an astonishing variety of steps and styles, is still popular. It is danced with a much looser hold than in England. The Most Whistled Tune. The most whistled tune in New York at tho moment is the Black Bottom itself, written by George White for Ann Pennington to dance to in his “Scandals.” This has not yet been heard in public in England, or rarely. “Who,’’ from “Sunny,” which is so very popular in England at present, is almost dead in America, simply because the show “Sunny” has already run for a long time there. The score of an American musical play which is later to be brought to London may not be played in England until the play Actually begins, for obvious reasons. “Tho Birth of the Blues,” a firstrate tune from “Garrick Gaieties,” is' played unceasingly in New York, and should soon make itself very popular.

One of the best musical shows in New York at present is “The Vagabond King.” This score contains “The Song of the Vagabond,” an inspiring march sung by a chorus of about 70 in the play, which goes well as a foxtrot.