Social Dancing and Its Direction

Social Dancing and its Direction

BY E. L. ROBERTS, PHYSICAL DIRECTOR, BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

I—GENERAL SUPERVISION

Social dancing is becoming so general and so important inthe lives of all people, and especially the young people, that itshould be taken hold of and directed in order that it may becomea factor in the education, refinement, and elevation of all thosewho participate. It should no longer be considered as a mere re-laxation, but, while the recreational side should in no way beneglected, social dancing should be considered as an opportunityfor development. In order that it may perform this function it re-quires the most intelligent supervision that the Church or its or-ganizations can offer.

There should be a general committee in charge of all stakeand ward dancing. This committee should be composed of peoplewho are capable of making an intelligent study of the social situ-ation. It should contain conservative elements who are slow to bemoved by sudden changes, as well as devotees of dancing who areeager to be as nearly as possible abreast of the times. This com-mittee should be in more or less contact with the dancing situa-tion in America, as well as in the stake and ward. It should keepever before it the needs of the young people, and the ideals of theChurch, and harmonize these to the best of its ability. It shouldalso be in close touch with the committees under it, which takecharge of the ward affairs.

II LOCAL SUPERVISION

Each stake should have a social committee, and each wardof the stake also a group of people in charge of the socials. Thesecommittees should be in close touch with the general committees,and yet should be independent enough to adjust their actions tosuit local situations.

The ward committees should appoint a director of the dancingwho should have charge of all the social dancing in the ward.This office should be dignified, and the director should no longerbe considered as a "floor manager" or "caller."

The director should be a man with strong personality. Heshould preside over the dance program something as a presiding

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officer officiates at any other important affair. He should notbe considered as a policeman or a monitor whose business it is tointerfere with pleasure and show authority; and yet he must beready at any moment to interfere with "pleasure" and to exerciseauthority. His business is to lead and direct, and he must havea clear vision of the goal he is seeking for those under his charge.This goal is the goal of all those above him with whom he shouldbe co-operating.

The floor management, the man in charge of ticket taking,checking, and the orchestra—all should be under the direction ofthe director. The orchestra should not be a law unto itself, playinganything that it pleases or anything that some dancer happens tosuggest. It should not render the music as it desires. The di-rector, who is studying the dancing problem, will be able to getmany good results in an intelligent control of the music. Inmany cases where he detects or anticipates an undesirable "drift"he can change the tempo of the music, and produce wonderful re-sults. Where he desires to preserve the indentity of a dance whichis drifting out of date, he can keep it a little longer for the goodof all by having the music play short, beautiful selections.

The director should be at his post every minute from theopening of the dance until the last person is out. He should notbe too social, not too "glib of foot," as this tends to weaken hisstrength. He should preside and still participate.

Ill—THE PROGRAM

A dance to be a success must be filled with keen joy andpleasure. If it lacks these elements there is fault somewhere.

The dance hall should be beautiful; the music should be beau-tiful ; the dancers should be beautiful; the dancing should be inevery sense beautiful, and artistic.

The dance is an event not an incident. It is worthy of themost careful preparation. It is worthy of a simple but artisticprogram. The present degeneracy in dancing is due largely to thefact that the program idea, in many districts, has been done awaywith. Not long ago the dances were programed; then those incharge neglected the programs and merely announced the dances;later they let even this fall away. The dances were not announced.The music would start to play, the dancers joining in as theypleased, and dancing what and how they pleased. The programswere sometimes used in "swell" affairs, but simply as a means ofassisting the dancers in keeping track of their partners, and notin any sense to designate what the people should dance.

The programs should begin with the Opening Invocation, andthe name of the person who is to offer the invocation should beprinted. This features the prayer, as it should be featured, and

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gets the crowd ready and in the proper mood for it. Followingthe Invocation the dancing numbers should be listed in a waywhich gives an interesting variety and satisfies the needs of thedancers. * * * The last number should be a regular dancingnumber, and not the present degenerated "Home, Sweet Home,"Waltz. Eliminate this waltz, and put a proper finish to the affair.(It is important in this connection to have plenty of help on thehat-checking deparments so as to reduce the need of rushing forthe check-room.)

The programed dances should consist of a large number of(1) well known dances, so that most of the people are dancingand not merely looking on. (2) There should be a few newdances which are winning a place upon the program; and thereshould be an equal number of old dances which are graduallybeing relegated to the past. This arrangement will make it pos-sible for the dance to fulfil its functions socially and recreationally.People are not free to enjoy if they are constantly being worriedwith too many new steps. Neither can they truly enjoy if theyare compelled to dance only the old, out-of-date steps. A whole-some mixture of new and old will get the best results.

In order to insure the success of this program idea it shouldbe well understood that the people must dance what is pro-gramed, and dance it all in more or less the same way. In thevery newest steps there will necessarily be a margin (not toomuch) of difference in interpretation. It will be quite impossiblefor all to dance exactly alike until the dances are standardized anduntil they are well learned. In the older dances, however, thereis no excuse for a "mix-up" of dancing. If a two-step is on theprogram, everybody should two-step, and those, if any, who arewalking should be asked to take their seats, or two-step. If theprogram calls for a one-step, no older or younger couple shouldbe permitted to two-step. This should hold good and true of allthe dances. The director should not be lax for a single moment,and should make absolutely no exceptions. The time for himto act is at the moment and not after the dance is finished. Itshould be understood and announced that the director is not of-fending any really big person by making suggestions, or offeringcriticisms, during the dancing, any more than he would be if of-fering those same suggestions in the dancing class.

If too many couples are not following the rules, the musicshould be stopped, and a pleasant announcement, followed by ademonstration, should be made. After this the standards shouldbe upheld at any cost.

The new dances, if they have the qualities that will makethem survive, can gradually be made to have a more prominentplace upon the program as they become the property of everybody.Of course, all "Freakish" innovations should not be given even a

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"look-in" upon the program. Those in charge should be surehow a dance will be danced by the masses, not how it can bedanced by the expert, before they countenance it by putting itupon the program. The bi-products of the freakish steps arethe important things to consider.

IV MISCELLANEOUS POINTS

Whatever the dance is and whatever may be claimed as tothe "stylish" position, no close dancing should be permitted. Thedancers should not be in contact except with hands. The ballroom should not be a spooning parlor.

Dancing movements which are well in the realm of or evenborder too much upon the conspicuous should be done away with.The dance hall is no gymnasium.

While dancing, in order to be social, should be more of thenature of folk-dancing than of the stage and exhibition dancing, itshould not degenerate into the rowdy and boisterous. The Vir-ginia Reel serves very well as a vent for the escape of more or lessrestrained energy, but it is at present a little too boisterous. Othergroup dances might well take its place.

In order that the dancers may be present before the openingprayer is offered, it is well to play a selection or two before theprogram begins. * * * The dance should be closed by prayerat the appointed time.

V—SUMMARY OF SUGGESTIONS.

(1) Place all dancing under intelligent supervision anddirection.

(2) Emphasize the social side of dancing by conforming theprograms to the needs of the masses.

(3) Program, in some manner, all dances. Place theprayers on program.

(4) Preserve the identity of the dances by insisting that thedances be danced as programed.

(5) Secure variety by program, not in individual dance.

(6) Have body of program consist of well-known dances;then a small number of new steps, and a small number of veryold dances.

In this way, and in all other possible ways, see that the danceleaves the dancers better than it found them; happier, more cul-tured and refined, more appreciative of the beautiful; healthier,more thankful to the Creator for all the clean joys of life.

PROVO, UTAH