HOW TO PREPARE A FLOOR FOR A PRIVATE DANCE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XI, Issue 43, 28 October 1893, Page 358

HOW TO PREPARE A FLOOR FOR A PRIVATE DANCE.

The first thing to ascertain is whether the boards are smooth (if not, they must be planed where the irregularities occur), and, above all, no old nails should be left in. If the gaps are at all obtrusive between the planks, these can be filled in either with strips of wood or putty, as the case may be. These points having been remedied, the floor will do over and over again for dancing, and each time of using will facilitate the labour of the next preparation. There are many ways of attaining the same object. One is to paint the floor with beer (the cheaper the better), using a white-washer's brush ; let it dry thoroughly, after which finely powdered chalk must be sprinkled all over the boards, very regularly, through a fine sieve. The finishing touch of this, as of most of these amateur processes, which quite equal more scientific methods, consists in sliding about the room, if the frottoir is not handy. Another excellent way is to rub the boards with common wax-candle ends, and then to use the frottoir, or sliding. This is perhaps rather more tedious than the former plan, but it answers equally well, and, if two or three enthusiastic young people set about the task, it does not take as long as might be imagined. Of course, lam assuming that the query relates to common boards ; if the room is stained and varnished, an extra polishing with beeswax and turpentine should be all that is necessary. Again, if the dances are to be at all frequent, it would be almost better to stain and polish it : it is not an expensive nor a very tedious process nowadays, and it would greatly enhance the general effect. Polishing with beeswax, where the frottoir is not available, ean be accelerated if a rubber be improvised by tying several thicknesses of coarse felt to an old broom devoid of bristles ; if it is weighted down by the insertion of a flat piece of lead, the effect is absolutely the same as the frottoir. The beeswax is rubbed on the felt, and the use of the longhandled rubber saves stooping. The advantage of having the floor stained is that the room could then be used for general purposes with rugs, etc., whereas plain boards must be totally covered, which would entail much more labour. It is very difficult to give exact information as to how to arrange a room with no data to go upon. As little furniture as possible should be left ; tables, cabinets with glass doors, or anything that could be damaged, should be put away in some spare room, or disposed of according to space in the manner most convenient for the inmates. Naturally one has to put up with some discomfort on such occasions, but it can and should be reduced to a minimum by means of a little judicious contriving. Sofas and easy chairs, provided they do not take up too much room, should be put against the wall, though, if space is a great consideration and the furniture large, it would almost be better to turn everything out, and have rout seats instead. These can easily be hired. The piano should be in a corner, with the back turned out towards the room, both to increase the sonnd and to enable the player to see the dancers.