An Old Master of Ceremonies.
It had been often agitated in my mind to publish a treatise on dancing, with some account of the modem method of teaching this art; but having considered the subject to be of such a nature as tended to no great information, I declined troubling the world with any effort of the kind. However, being at last instigated, by the frequent unparalleled impositions of pretended masters, and the little progress which is made by numberless pupils, I could no longer desist from endeavouring to remove that veil, which too long has hidden from the world, those deceptions that have been practised by many who style themselves dancing-masters. Though this little work may not be deemed a masterpiece; yet it may serve as a director for the parents of youth, who would not chuse to have their children amused, and themselves abused under false pretences, and a youth's time taken up, and other more useful parts of education neglected for years, in pursuit of what may be attained in a few months. I have here laid open those methods which tend to the loss of time, and the gain of little or nothing to the advantage of the pupils. I am sensible I shall have just as many enemies as there are impostors; but being well convinced that truth will ever prevail over falsehood, I shall remain content with my design, and hope to meet the approbation of the candid.
It has been universally allowed, that dancing is one of the most useful accomplishments a well-bred person can be possessed of. No gentleman or lady can be said to be qualified for a court, an assembly, or even any public line of life, without some knowledge of this art: a man or woman, cannot even walk with any degree of the graces (as the late lord Chesterfield terms it) without having been taught at least the rudiments of dancing.
I do not mean to imply by dancing, the figure or steps only, of any dance, but that graceful deportment which proceeds from having been taught by a master entirely divested of affectation. Every degree of stiffness or affectation destroys what is meant, or understood by graceful attitudes,or an easy carriage; nothing can be more inconsistent with ease, than a close imitation of an affected dancing-master; nature outré becomes ridiculous. For example, a man to walk with his toes turned too much outwardly, causes him to riggle, and appear like one of those fanfarons or petits maitres de Paris, who are contemptible in respect to their persons in particular, and their dress and behaviour in general; their manner of address is unsupportable to a man who has been conversant with the world.
The theatre should be the standard or criterion of that graceful deportment of which I am now speaking; but sorry I am to say, that there are but very few among our dramatic performers, who are free from that intolerable stiffness I here mean to remark: it is true, that what appears outré off the stage frequently is rendered natural and easy in the theatre, by means of the lights and the distance from whence it is beheld, being in some measure, for the above reason, similar to the scenes, which appear very different at a distance, to what they do at a closer inspection. However, it is not to be wondered at, when we consider that the generality of actors have acquired this strut and stiffness, either from their dancing masters, or from their not having been used to the polite world; and more especially, when we know that very few of these gentlemen, have had the advantage of a refined education.
Having in a few words endeavoured to shew that all kind of affectation is opposite to gracefulness, and that an easy deportment is what should be the result of learning to dance; I shall now make some remarks on the mode of teaching,by which the scholar acquires this aukward, stiff gait, so resembling the monkey who had seen the world.
In the first place, the master begins his scholars with the five positions4848. The first position is formed by the two heels close. The second, one foot separate from the other about half a foot. Third, the heel of one foot to the buckle of the other. Fourth, the heel separated from the toe of the other about half a foot. Fifth, the heel to the toe and generally speaking, were he to leave off at this period it would be well for him. The next thing which is taught him is what is called the forward minuet step, in doing which he is made to rise and sink in such an unnatural form, that one would imagine he was working a machine. When he has sufficiently acquired this stiff, aukward, and ridiculous movement, the master fixes him in the third position, in order to make his bow before he begins the minuet; in this position he is taught to take off his hat, by a slow but unnatural elevation of the hand to the head, and then to lower it till it hangs, as if there were neither bones or joints in his arm. As soon as this is performed, his right leg moves from his left, and he bows with both his arms hanging down, resembling those of a man hanging in chains: if this is graceful, let nature judge!
Then away goes the head, lower than the knees, so that the back part of it is seen in front, and rising gradually, black in the face, the left leg is thrown behind the right. This is called the bow, and is the beginning of the minuet; a dance in which the symmetry and gracefulness of the body are supposed to be displayed. After this ridiculous movement the pupil leads the partner round with the forward step &c. The side-step, which should be rather a graceful method of walking, as well as the forward step, is likewise taught in the same stiff and unpleasing manner. When he comes to give his right hand, which should be done with an unaffected elevation of the arm, and an easy turn of the wrist; it is, on the contrary performed by thrusting the hand and arm out in a horizontal direction, without either ease or grace; the left hand is given, if possible, in a more aukward manner; and, when both hands are given, one would imagine they were made of wood, or belonged to one of the puppets as big as life, which formerly were exhibited by mister Foote in the Haymarket.
These are the movements which ever after constitute that abominable stiff and unnatural gait, which we see in the generality of Dancing-masters; and the more the scholar imitates the master, the more affected he appears.
The minuet de la cour,one of the finest dances in the world, and indeed which I never saw danced with propriety, but by two or three men of fashion, except Vestris, is made up by our modern teachers of nothing but distortion, and ridiculous attitudes; in short, it is more a burlesque on the Dance, than any thing else. Our English teachers have in general, no conception of it, and the greatest part of the foreigners murder it with unnatural and ungraceful movements.
The cotillon, formerly a particular dance so called, but now by making some difference in the figure, is become various, and though but a cotillon, constitutes a plurality, and each has its particular name and figure; the original cotillon consisting of a few steps which serve for them all, and only vary in respect to the tune and figure. They should be danced with great spirit and attention to time, otherwise they are by no means entertaining, and at best fall short of our English country dances. A grave part is introduced sometimes in some of the cotillons, which has a very pleasing effect, by occasioning a kind of contrast, and gives a great life and spirit to the other parts, as light and shade do in a picture. It will be here necessary to mention that the cotillon or cotillons have been brought into fashion by way of substitutes; and as such they should be attended to. The cotillon must be considered, as it really is, a French country dance, and consequently should be danced, as already said, with uncommon vivacity: for as the French do every thing with great spirit, and as we pretend to imitate them, we should not omit the most essential part, which gives life to, and renders their dances any way tolerable.
To return to the graces: the ladies who are taught to dance are less subject to that ungraceful deportment, being not so liable to imitate their master, and as affectation in its strongest point of view, is not so ridiculous in the fair sex as in a man, if they have it only in a certain degree, as it rather serves to attract the attention of the spectators, and leads them to a thorough examination of the personal charms of the dancers; if they are outré in any respect, their female beauties not only make up for this defect, but is totally forgotten when we behold the form of a Venus, with every other charm that captivates the heart.
The present duchess of A–le and her sister the late countess of C–y, who were reigning toasts as great beauties, notwithstanding their immoderate share of affectation, by being exceeding good dancers, were universally admired by all the connoisseurs of the graces and good judges of dancing.
The best dancers of a minuet as well as country dances, were never dancers by profession. The late mrs. Woffington, and miss Macklin, who were excellent comedians and not professionally dancers, although they possessed some share of affectation, were the finest dancers of the minuet I ever saw; they possessed all that ease and grace which entitled them to the admiration of their times. This is mentioned as a proof that the affectation of a dancing master, causes that stiff and unnatural mode of dancing in the man; and as the fault is not so conspicuous in femaledancers, provided they are finely made, they may meet with all the applause due to the enchanting movements of an elegant person.
I have seen a dancing master, one of the first now in vogue, whose business produces him at least two thousand pounds per ann. make himself appear like a monkey at his own ball, by dancing and riggling with his rump in a scarlet coat trimmed with silver, a swarthy complexion, clumsy legs, and affected movements. He has put me in mind of a little dapper chairman in respect to his form, with this difference, the one was the resemblance of nature, and the other an affected coxcomb, pampered and encouraged by the folly of the English. Is it not surprising that any man of sense should admire an ugly ill made fellow, distorting his limbs, making grimaces in order to look agreeable, and at the same time calling it dancing? What still adds to the astonishment is, that our countrymen should be such dupes as to encourage such a one, and enable him to keep an elegant equipage.
This master has no less than seven or eight schools, besides private scholars; which schools he seldom attends himself, it being sufficient that monsieur is dancing-master. His assistant who is a kind of contrast to him in respect to person, is as affected as himself; his shape being aukward, his legs long, and his nose, which is turned up, with his thin visage, resembles a caput mortuum; he is stiff and unnatural to the highest degree; and when he enters a room, he clasps his hands, makes a cringing reverence, and appears a bad copy of an affected dancing master.
A man before he sets up for a dancing-master, should consult nature, examine his person, and endeavour to rectify those natural defects which are so conspicuous, and unpardonable in a master; without which, we should not see such affected coxcombs troubling an assembly with their ridiculous figures. As it is very rare to see one man in twenty naturally well made, and hardly ever a set of men perfectly finished, it is no wonder there are so many ill-made dancers, who are either what the French call arqués (bow legged) or jarreté (knock-knee'd). The same blindness prevails amongst men in other occupations of life; for want of knowing themselves, they frequently undertake what they are incapable of performing; mistaking the natural genius, gives rise to so many bad poets, wretched painters, execrable comedians, grating musicians, and miserable dancers.
Were we to enumerate our capital dancers, which have appeared for these fifty years past, who were complete masters, they would bear as small a proportion to the pretenders of this art, as an unite does to an hundred. The best that ever I have seen were Fossan, Dupre, Lany, Vestris, Noverre, Slingsby, and one or two others; these were fine made men, and fit for their business. As women, I shall just mention the Aurettis, Campignioni, Camargo, and three or four more, who were possessed of those requisites which constitute excellent dancers: these I have seen, and well remember that they were ranked among the first class; but we have had a hundred for each of these, who have assumed the name of masters, and at the same time more resembled dancing automatons, than professors of this art.
The requisites for a fine dancer are various: first, he should be perfectly well made, free from the arqués, or jarreté, his arms graceful, his knees turned outwardly, his shoulders not elevated or round, his features striking, and his eyes expressive. In respect to the mode of teaching, he should examine his pupil, and when he finds some particular defects in him, endeavour to rectify them by proper methods. The _arqués (bow-legged) exists from the haunches to the feet, describing a kind of arch, from the hollowness of the haunches the thighs and knees stand open, and cause that bow of the legs, which is very difficult to straiten; and being generally attended with long and flat feet, with ankles that jut out, makes it impossible to be totally remedied; however, by keeping his knees strait, and not making him turn out his toes too much, it may, in some degree, be rendered less obvious.
The jarreté may be remedied by making use of the following means, separating the knees, and turning the thighs outwardly, which last exercise frequently repeated, will cause the knees to turn out, and when once the knee-pan is in a perpendicular direction with the point of the foot, by constant practice, the pupil (if young) may get over it; keeping the knee not too much stretched or extended, it may have such an effect as might baffle the most curious observer; and, in process of time, as the scholar grows stronger, this defect will be entirely removed, and never more return. Some of the most celebrated dancers have been liable to this defect, even the great Vestris himself was a little jarreté, but by dint of great art, and management, it was not discernible, except on some very particular occasions, such as strait capers (_l'entre-chat-droit), or very quick movements, which he seldom discovered, being chiefly confined to grave dancing. In the case of the entre-chat-droit, the knees cross too much, which shews the defect, and destroys the brilliancy of the feet; which cannot cross and perform the entre-chat as they should do.
I shall now take notice of the graces of the arms, both in dancing, and in giving the hands, circumstances very little attended to by the masters in general: they seldom or never attempt to teach the pupil the use of his arms, till the very last thing; when, on the contrary, as soon as he can go through the minuet step with any kind of precision, the masters should take particular pains in forming that rondeur of the arms, which nothing but great practice, as well as taste, can render graceful. They should also particularly adhere to the length of the arms, which is sometimes preposterous in those pupils that are jarretés; and, in that case, the rondeur should be enforced in proportion to the length of the arms, that they might appear shorter, and diminish that aukwardness, adding more grace by the bend and elevation of the elbow, which cannot be done but by great assiduity and attention. I have seen capital dancers who were defective in this point, but from practice and observation have artfully concealed it.
Mrs. Woffington, whom I have before mentioned, and who danced a minuet with such grace, had this defect; her arms, being rather too long for her body; but through proper management of the rondeurs of them, it was imperceptible. The short arm should be lengthened by a contrary movement; instead of the rondeurs, it should have recourse to extension, and by a graceful turn of the wrist, the want of proportion able length would be forgotten, and receive that proper grace, so requisite in giving the hand. That which a dancer wants in nature, must be supplied by art, and this is the business of a dancing-master: he should thoroughly examine the pupil's person, find out his defects, and supply those deficiencies which nature had caused, by artificial substitutes.
There is no kind of dancing but what requires the arms and hands to move harmoniously with the rest of the body, for though the body itself should be steady, and its motion derived only from the haunches and the legs, yet the arms must move with the body and correspond with the legs.
Was the body to move according to the feet, the features would also get into motion, and cause grimaces and distortions, according to the different steps which were formed by the feet. When the body is thrown out of its perpendicular, the equilibrium is destroyed, and consequently all harmony and exactness is lost, as well as all that beauty and grace, which are the very essence of good dancing. This unsteadiness of the body is owing in a great measure, to the weakness of the loins, which, however, some by art have redressed, and through great attention to that particular part of the body, acquired, as one might say, a firmness, which preserves the equilibrium, and secures the perpendicular of the trunk. If a dancer is weak in the loins, and cannot keep his body firm by that art I have here mentioned, he is continually wavering; every step he makes seems to be actuated by chance, and through good fortune only he is secured from falling.
Another very essential thing should be adverted to in dancing, and that is the stature of the person; if a tall person dances, he may take greater steps, and make use of a greater circumference than a short person, provided his partner is in proportion to himself; nothing can be more ridiculous than to see a man six feet high, dance in a small compass, and mince his steps where there is not only room enough, but whose partner is near as tall as himself. On the other hand it is as absurd, to see a diminutive person endeavouring to imitate the tall person, by taking large steps, when his partner is of a low stature, and by no means able to keep up with him; this throws them both out of time, and makes them both appear ridiculous. A master should check this in its infancy, by describing, or marking out proper limits for his pupils to dance within: for by taking too large steps the equilibrium is destroyed, and they run the risque of stumbling, or even falling, to the great sport of the spectators.
It is also required of a dancer when he is sufficiently instructed to dance in public, to arm himself with a sufficient degree of necessary and becoming assurance, so that he may not be confounded, or put out of countenance. Nothing but some very great natural defect should disconcert him; and if that should be the case, he had much better never begin to dance; if he adds assurance to deformity, he becomes contemptible, and the spectators may, with great justice, laugh at him aloud, and despise him as a fool, and a fit subject for ridicule; when he labours under any visible defect of nature, without this assurance, he then becomes the object of compassion, and he is not only laughed at, but his intellects are called in question for exposing himself.
This puts me in mind of a saying, “That no one should be despised for want of natural parts, but for making wrong use of them;” thus, if a man walks lame, he is to be pitied; if he dances lame he is to be laughed at. I remember a very deformed rich lady, who once was taken out by a young fortune-hunter, to go down a country dance; she at first seemed to be happy at being taken notice of by a handsome young fellow; but unluckily knowing nothing of the dance, and conscious of her own deformity, she was thrown into a kind of agony, and put the whole company out, by thrusting her arms (which, by the bye, were of a most enormous length) into every person's face, at the same time jostling them with her hump to such a degree, that she occasioned a horse-laugh throughout the whole assembly; this occasioned her to swoon, and she was obliged to be lifted out of the room, for proper assistance. I mention this, to shew how absurd it is for deformed persons to attempt to dance; they are sure of being either laughed at, or pitied as idiots; instead of pleasure, it must be attended with the utmost anxiety, as soon as they hear the tittering of the room, or happen to be out in respect to the dance.
So much by way of digression. There are certain dances which are become the ton, to which it will be necessary to advert. First, then, I shall begin with the minuet, and endeavour to explain in what manner it should be danced by a gentleman, whose sense and discernment have totally divested him of the affectation of a dancing-master. To be the man of fashion in this dance, he should not, when he begins the bow, bend his head too low, nor turn out his toes too much; let ease and nature be his objects.
In taking off his hat, his hands should rise gradually, not stiff, describing the rondeurs of the elbows with freedom and judgment; and when his hat is off, and he is making his bow, he should by no means let his hands hang as if they were lifeless, and without either joints or bones; he should form a small curve with his elbow, his hat inclining inwardly, so that when he rises he may throw back his hat with his arms, and remain in an upright and elegant position; this being almost the first attitude that strikes the spectators, and shews a man to the best advantage.
When he leads the lady round, his attention should be fixed on his partner, and his ear attentive to the music. If he sets off out of time, he must be some time before he can recover it, and the minuet is spoiled. This generally proceeds from being in a kind of hurry, at the first setting off, which should never be the case, since the music is the guide, and the time the director. The steps should be formed without rising or sinking too much, by so doing, he appears easy and natural;14but, on the contrary, he discovers a movement very ungraceful, and is that very fault so prevalent in all pupils, who just begin to dance; it savours of that intolerable affectation so apparent in the masters themselves, and so different from the elegance and ease displayed by men of rank who have had a noble education. When he crosses over in the minuet, he should continue looking at his partner, till he turns the corner, then catch her eyes again with an agreeable and pleasant countenance. During the time of his first crossing over, he must put on his hat,15so that he may appear with it on, upon his turning the corner. His right-hand should be given after the third crossing, unless he agrees with his partner for a longer time. In giving his hand, the rondeur of the elbow (already spoken of) must be observed, and in order to apprise his partner of what he is going to do, the pas grave is performed at the corner before he gives his hand; the same is done in giving his left hand, but with great attention to the time; if it is not in time, he had better leave it out,and dance the minuet simply.
In giving both hands, he should here particularly preserve the graces, as nothing appears more aukward if it is not done with propriety; and, on the contrary, nothing is more graceful when performed without the aukward stiffness already described. The same ease and gracefulness should be adhered to in beating the time with the hands,16while dancing, a thing which is scarce ever thought of, is often performed in such a manner as disgusts, and is better let alone, and the hands left to take their chance.
The last thing after giving the two hands, is returning into his place in which he first began his bow, which requires some attention and no hurry; for owing to precipitation, I have seen the partners sometimes jostle each other, and leave off in the middle of the room.
I shall now just mention a few dances, which were greatly in fashion some years ago in Paris, the Anjou minuet, the Bretagne, la Mariée, la Follie d'Espagne, the Louvre, le Passepied, l'Allemagne, which are fine dances, and far preferable to any we have now in vogue.
It is true the Minuet de la Cour is of the first class, and requires a fine person, with all that gracefulness I have already so often repeated. The steps should be done in perfect time, and the contours of the whole must be consistent with the graces; the movement of the arms must be particularly studied, being continually in motion, and describe either gracefulness, or intolerable aukwardness; there is no medium in this dance, it must be danced with elegance and ease, or not attempted. In fine, when once one has seen the Minuet de la Cour perfectly well danced, it is impossible for a tolerable judge of the art of dancing, to pass over the absurd attempts which some masters (as they term themselves) pretend to make in the performance of this difficult dance.
The Louvre, which was formerly a dance very much the ton, is equally difficult, and somewhat similar to the Minuet de la Cour, in respect to the arms, and the graces with which it abounds. I never had the pleasure of seeing it performed but by some of the first dancers; the only one who really excelled in this elegant dance was mademoiselle Auretti. We have very few now who would presume to bring it into vogue again; at the same time, there are many who persuade the world, that the cotillon is preferable, and more pleasing; but every judge of dancing must allow, that there is no more comparison between the cotillon and the Louvre than there is between a country-dance and a grand ballet. The cotillon serves to amuse and keep the scholar in play, when the other would require a laborious work in the teacher, to make a scholar capable of even performing the steps, and making the figure. The modern modes are, in general, calculated for the ease and emoluments of the masters, not only of dancing, but of every profession.
Observe the fashions in every branch of dress, you will find what I say to be true; take a view of our amusements, you will see it even there prevail; look still around, you will discover the same manoeuvre from the lowest mechanic to the greatest artist; contrive something that will please, sooth the follies of the times; and the end is answered.
Nothing denotes the prejudices of education so much as that deficiency of assurance which many of our fair countrywomen shew on several other occasions as well as that of dancing. An open countenance, and an air degagée,bespeaks a noble disposition, and a well-bred woman, one who has been used to good company, and accustomed to the polite circles; it prevents that vague and unmeaning countenance, which many women have when they enter any public place; instead of looking at the company, they seem to be lost in thought, and neither see any thing, nor look at any person whatever; they resemble a doll, or a piece of clockwork, which is placed to be viewed as an inanimate body; and when spoken to, there appears a ridiculous absence of mind, which is seldom or ever got over.
Learning to dance of a good master, when young, gives a proper assurance, forms the body, and takes off all those rustic defects which prove obstacles to that ease of deportment which seems so natural to ladies of the first fashion; their cloaths are no encumbrance to them; they are perfectly easy, dressed or undressed; the conteurs of their person correspond, and every motion bespeaks elegance; when they discourse their eyes express almost as much as their words, and every feature charms without the least affectation. These are the advantages of learning to dance, and keeping polite company. So true it is, that dancing is of the greatest importance to the fair sex, that it would be impossible for a lady to come into an assembly, or drawing-room, without being mistress of the first rudiments. A courtesy is more difficult to be well made by a lady, than a bow is to be made by a gentleman: in the courtesy the graces are all employed, the head, the eyes, the shape, the legs, feet, &c. are all in the most bewitching attitudes, and a man must be totally insensible, who does not feel some particular emotion, when he beholds a fine woman upon such an occasion. The grave dancing was certainly contrived to enchant. To see a beautiful female formed for delight, moving those limbs with such irresistible grace and harmony, as the refined art of dancing is capable of describing; I say, to behold this, would cause extasy in the young, and revive the dormant passions of the aged.
After all which has been said upon this subject, I shall add some remarks upon dancing in general. First, dancing is that kind of exercise which must be greatly conducive to health, by giving a proper and natural motion to the whole body, and thereby causing the blood to have a free and brisk circulation.
Secondly, it forms the body, models the limbs, and gives a man or woman an air, which distinguishes them from the vulgar, by making them, as I have said before, easy in their deportment, and fit to go into any company.
Thirdly, no society between the two sexes can be complete without dancing; so that by this association, connubial felicity is frequently brought about, and enjoyed in its most extatic extent.
Fourthly, and lastly, dancing should be encouraged for its being a recreation, a pleasing method of passing away the leisure hours of young ladies and gentlemen, and keeping them from that most irrational, though too fashionable a vice, cards: for most certainly whatever affords amusement, is conducive to health, and in itself is innocent, and free from vice, must have the sanction of the wise, and meet with the approbation of the world in general.
