Drawing Room Dances 1847 IX (idea)

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IX.
ADVICE TO THE WALTZERS À DEUX TEMPS.

During the many years that I have devoted myself to the tuition of dancing, there has seldom passed a day, in which I have not had many waltzers under my eyes. It is rarely that each new pupil does not by his defect|defects], his habits, and his less or greater progress, suggest some profitable hint for the theory, or practice of the art—an art so simple in appearance, and yet so complicated by so many shades and details, if we wish to fathom it thoroughly.

Under the title of Advice to Waltzers, I have brought together in this chapter such of my observations as I consider the most essential, and even as forming the necessary whole for the education of a waltzer à deux temps.

The conducting of the lady is not the most easy nor the least delicate part of the waltzer's duty. A thousand rocks present themselves to him the moment he finds himself flung into the whirl of the ball. If he at all jostles the other dancers, if he can not keep clear of the most inexperienced, even of the couples à trois temps, which are so great an impediment to those à deux temps—if he is not sufficiently sure of the music to keep time when the orchestra quickens or slackens it, or even when his partner loses it—then he can not be considered as a skilful waltzer. This habit, or, I may call it, manoeuvre of the waltze, is not acquired without much practice, and the dancing academy has, in this respect, it must be owned, advantages that nothing can replace. It allows the novice to familiarize himself with the crowd, offering him as it were a preliminary glance at the tumult of a ball-room. He is thus able to learn beforehand how to find out his position, and not to serve in the midst of the drawing-room an apprenticeship which is always dangerous, and particularly on first appearance.

To waltze well, it is not enough to guide the lady always in the same vein, which would speedily bring back the uniformity of the old waltze; it is requisite to know how at one time to cause her to retrograde, making the waltze step not more obliquely but in a straight line, and at another to oblige her to advance upon himself by making the same step backwards. Some waltzers even make the redowa aside, which is not without grace when executed in harmony with the lady, and when the step can be regained by the other foot without losing the time.

If there is sufficient space, the dancer should extend his step, and take that impetuous course, that the Germans execute so well and which is one of the happiest characteristics of this waltze. If the space is narrow, it is necessary to stop short and to confine the step so as only to form a circle.

To know how to shade and blend the dance, is one of the great merits of the waltzer.

I have seen consummate waltzers spring off with the rapidity of lightning, at once so quick and so light that one might have thought they were going to fly from earth with their partners, and then suddenly break off and fall into a pace so slow and gentle that their movements could scarcely be perceived.

This is the place to say a few words upon the waltze called à l'envers, which belongs to the waltze à deux temps, and even represents one of the most original trait, in its aspect already so varied.

The gentleman instead of springing to the left, as I have said a little above, may if he pleases start off on the right, and continue drawing his partner after in the same direction. This is termed the waltze à l'envers. As may be easily seen, it is only the usual step taken in an opposite direction, and this evolution is executed also in the polka. But it must be admitted that the l'envers offers more difficulty in the waltze à deux temps, of which the step is more hurried, and regulated by a rhythm more rapid.

Heaven forbid that I should proscribe the waltze à l'envers, which is not only agreeable as a change, but becomes in certain cases even necessary, when it is required to avoid a couple presenting themselves unexpectedly; I think however, it should be used with a certain degree of caution, and that care should be taken not to engage in it before the time.

A dancer, who is not quite sure of himself would do wrong to undertake this movement prematurely, for fear of acquiring bad habits, for it should be remembered that to waltze à l'envers, is not the natural mode, and always requires a little effort. If, however we wish to describe the whole round of a ball-room, there will be a moment when it is necessary to waltze not only à l'envers, but also à rebours (backward) which is quite another sort of difficulty.

The sort of pivoting, which must be used to catch the precise moment of the rebours, constrains the waltzer, who has not acquired all the skill and ease required for springing, makes him lose the step, sometimes even his equilibrium, and in any case compels the employment of a force upon his partner, which the rules of the real waltze can never allow. I would not recommend even experienced dancers to indulge too much in the waltze à l'envers; it should always be the accessary only, and not the principal. I have seen in my own course, dancers, who had attained a certain proficiency, yet in part lose their advantages by persisting in waltzing too much à l'envers, and become stiff, constrained, their steps unnatural, while they had no longer the power of pacing freely with the natural impulse of the waltze; and all this from a fancy for devoting themselves exclusively to a certain exercise, which when abused is nothing more than a peculiar trick of strength.

We should abstain entirely from this habit in crowded ball-rooms where we have only a confined space before us. A waltzer à l'envers in general directs himself with less facility than one à l'endroit. To jostle, or be jostled, in a ball-room, is always, if not a grave fault, at least one of those unlucky accidents, that can not be too carefully avoided.

Now if it be true that it is only with extreme labour we are able to manoeuvre in a confined circle of waltzers, what is the use of creating imaginary difficulties, and meet a danger, out of which there are so few chances of escaping with credit.

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