DANCE ENCORES

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 132, 30 May 1932, Page 6

DANCE ENCORES

SPOIL A PROGRAMME? A DANCER’S OPINION ‘I like the modern dance well enough but there is too much of the same thing,” said a patron of dances to a “Dannevirke News” reporter. The speaker has been a frequenter of dapces in Dannevirke for over 20 years, and he expressed views that may be of some interest. He said lie wa«‘s sufficiently old-fashioned to think that there was no dance like the waltz. He though it was a pity it had so largely disappeared from the ballroom. That, however, was not the point he wished to make. Speaking as a mere man he liked when he went to a dance to enjoy the floor

with a number of ladies that he knew. He did not profess to be a finished dancer and probably some ladies could find better partners. The trouble was that owing to the method *• 4 under which dances were at present conducted his partners were forced to have too much of him and he, at times, of them. In addition to this he was prevented from asking ladies to dance that it was always a pleasure for him to meet at a ball or anywhere else. The encores were the trouble. Instead of a number of dances being on a programme enabling a gentleman to enjoy a dance with a number of ladies of his acquaintance there were a limited number of dances and these were repeatedly encored. The result was that some dances became a marathon. At a dance where one sex outnumbered the other this meant that some people had to sit out for quite a long time. Each separate dance went on and on.

Our informant said he thought the programme was left too much to the band. One piece of dance music was as good as another to them, and as long as people wanted encores they were played. Hand-clapping seemed now as much a part of a dance as the steps. The M’s.C., said this critic should be in charge of the programme and if they limited encores there would be much more enjoyment for everybody. “Of course,” said this critic in conclusion, “a custom has grown up whereby a young gentleman takes a young lady to a dance and they belong to each other for the evening. I have no objection to that, but it appears to me that one dance is as good as another to these couples, and a new dance need not separate them any more than an encore.”

Beside the flowing bowl, come sit with me; Hoed not the Koran! it is naught to thee. One soothing draught of nectar gives more bliss Than all the rapture of an houri’s kiss. Life’s fleeting span is meant for hours of joy, When doubts and dogmas add no sout alloy, And for our colds we certain ease assure' 3 -’ With treasured Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 9