THE PERFECT DANCER |

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 69, 23 April 1929, Page 4

THE PERFECT DANCER |

| SPECIAL SERIES BY MISS PHYLLIS MONKMAN. London's Most Popular Musieal Oomedy Dancer and Leading Lady. DON'T BE A WALL-FLOWER — ! DANCE THE TANGO (All Rights Reserved).

Wallflowers still abound when the band strikes up tho haunting strains of the Tango. Girls seem lialf afraid of dancing it, and men do not care to risk a mediocro exhihition. I.earn to dance the Tango as it should be danccci. and you need never sit in solitude uhile more proticient exponents are enjoying tlie riiytlim of it. Everyone who danced in pre-war days will remember the time when the world went tango-mad. Special bands were iniported, scliools for teaching it sprang up liko mushrooms — and then tne haunting, pulsmg, warm-blooded music whicli was echoing all over Etirope was rudely shattered by the roar of guiis. Now the dance is coming hack, but much of tlio old posiug has been eliminated. Indeed, it has undergone so much change from the older tango that there is no very set rule as to which variations may be introduced. Jn addition to the ordinary walk and turn, I will riescribe the slinking forward moveirent and the reverse turn, both of which acld grace to the modern fcrm. Beforo 1 describe the steps, a few reneral inst'uctious must uot be omitted. The right hip should be slightlv tnrned, and the shoulder slightlv down, while the left hip must be hack. This position should bo maintained ihroughout, and will nssist in getting the main stcp, as illustrated, absoh.iolv correct. The end of the steps should, if anything, he the minutest fraction behincl rather than aheacl of the musie Tiie feet, when passing forward, should never slide, but be about a quarter oi an ineh ahove the ground. Never dip or move jerkily — and watch the steering. The step with the right foot is taken in a half circle, throwing the foot r> und, and not brusbing past, as in ihe foxtrot. The right knee is straight, with the toe turned in towards the

centre, and tho right foot dead in front of the left. _ j To bring the left foot past the right (which is now in front) commence with j the left knee hent, and knee and toe j tnrned towards the centre of the room. j fn bringing it forward, tho left heel j lrushes the right toe, ancl from thence the knee is straighter. Ab the finish, once again, the feet are dead in line. The man advances his left foot a full pace, coming on to the heel (and J resting on the heel longer than in the [ fcstrot). on which he remains until he fcels that hc is about to fall forward. i Tl.e weight is then transferred to the I ha 11 of tho foot. He then brings his J i ight past it.. and ehanges his weight. j ITe may vary by swinging his left hip and foot outsido his partner's feet. | Tr.on with the right still outside (steps j should be medium when outside) he c''-ngs up the left to a rlose, putting 110 j weight- on it. Next. taking1 one slow j 1-eat, he ruts hi.s left into line with fhe airl. and throws out the riclit fnnt ns in the main step. To assist the halanee one may acld the three-step, which may be executed either at a eomer or straight un the room. For the "half reverse turn," first take a sliort step forward with the left foot; after coming on to the heel, take just over a quarter of a turn on tne ball of the left, allowing the right to fall slightlv hack towards the right, with the weight on this foot. Next, swing the left hip hack, and pivot on the balls of both feet until nearly fac:ng the "qgdl, with the weight on the left foot. The time occupied by these three movements mav he indicated thus : — Quiek. quick. slow. Finallv, step back slowly with the rght, taking care not to uncross the feet, bring the left over nearly brushmg it, and pass straight on into a ' side promenade." Suppleness and baJance are importnnt factors in making the tango graceful. Practice them assiduous'y, as well as the steps ; neither, by itself, .s sufficient.