Etiquette Changes and Dance Crazes

The modern style seems in its description to be embraced by the single expressive word “jazz,” whereas that word means only a simple subsidiary movement, which can be applied or omitted from the movements of the fox trot or of the one-step.

Fox Trot and One-Step Form Basis for All Future Dances

LONDON, May 2. — Will the modern form of ballroom dancing survive the test of time? This question seems to have occasioned no little controversy, but in one important aspect the argument has been somewhat misleading. The modern style seems in its description to be embraced by the single expressive word “jazz,” whereas that word means only a simple subsidiary movement, which can be applied or omitted from the movements of the fox trot or of the one-step.

It is wrong, therefore, in discussing the ballroom of the future, to talk about the possibility of the permanent triumph of the jazz over the waltz —wrong both from the point of view of the jazz and the waltz.

Oblivion for Jazz

In my opinion the jazz will join the waltz in oblivion.I differ entirely from the contention that the waltz will ever return to favor. I refrain from using the word popularity, for the reason that I have never considered it a popular form of dancing. And to those readers who are not in agreement with this view I would simply point out that when the waltz was in Vogue the ballroom did not attract men and women of the intellectual calibre that are to be found there today. The standard dances of the future will be based upon the fox trot and the one-step.

Based on Walking

It is quite possible that those dances might lose their name, but their identity will never entirely vanish, because they have natural movement as their very foundation. Based on the walking idea, they en able people to express their characters in their performance, so that, apart from their naturalness, they demonstrate personality in a manner in which the old-fashioned, meaningless and monotonous waltz was never able to achieve.

I am quite aware that some people in their interpretation of these movements give very ugly performances, but it is better to reveal truth in ugliness than to hypocritically conceal it in expressionless gyrations.

If dancing is to be considered an art, a creative art, it must be the expression of life; it must be the expression of life of the dancer, and great or insignificant, according to the dancer's impressions and ability.

No doubt each season will see the introduction of new movements, but the dominating idea of the present style will retain its permanency.

The simple walking movement has ensured that permanency, and shorn of all the dips and hops, which will die a natural death or give place to movements which will perhaps allow less license, it will ensure for the ballroom a lasting popularity quite equal to the present standard. 

Doesn't Kill Sociability

The chief argument of critics of the present “craze,” as they call it, is that jazz, in which they mistakenly comprehend everything that is modern, is destructive of the sociability of the ballroom. There is no greater fallacy.

The fox-trot and the one-step, in their view, can only be danced by partners who know each other’s steps, and so the universality of ballroom partnership has given place to the same couples dancing together all the evening. The idea is erroneous.

Just as two waltzers who are strangers to each other’s steps can waltz together, so can fox-trotters and one-steppers.

Not Due to Dances

It has, I am quite aware, become customary for couples to dance more or less together through the evening, but this has nothing what ever to do with the change in the style of dancing.

It is due entirely to a change in ballroom etiquette. In the old days it was not considered good form for a couple to dance more than two dances together during the evening, but now if a couple prefer each other’s society they are breaking no canon of etiquette if they dance together the whole evening.

Whether the revolution in etiquette and the removal of restraint to such an extreme that gloves are no longer worn in ballrooms are improvements upon pre-war days, I will not venture an opinion, but the fact remains that these changes have become established.—By the Famous Dancer Miss Margaret Morris, 1919

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