Historical SourcePublic Domain
How to Dance the New Dances — Hesitation, Tango, One Step, Boston and Others (Ridley Bell, Book Publisher's Press, 1914)
Publisher: Ridley Bell / Book Publisher's Press, New York City, 1914. Copyright 1914 by Ridley Bell — all rights reserved. Distributed as a complimentary promotional pamphlet by 'Forbes & Wallace, Springfield, Mass.' (department-store giveaway). Concise instructional handbook of the 1914 modern-dance vocabulary opening with the manifesto 'All the world dances nowadays. The new social dances are so different, so infinitely more fascinating, than those of other years that tripping the old-time waltz and two-step seems like burning tallow dips when one may revel in electric light.' Three figured positions referenced (Fig. 1 — closed ballroom hold; Fig. 2 — side-by-side; Fig. 3 — open with extended hand). Convention: 'Directions are written for man. Lady's steps are the same, except that man's left means lady's right; man's backward means lady's forward, and vice versa.' Sections: THE HESITATION (basic step + 4 Variations + Pivoting + Twinkle figures); THE TANGO ('a variation of the Argentine Tango. The latter is too complicated for popular usage. The One-step and the Tango known to the general public are practically twins.') with Circle, Grapevine, Draw, Lame Duck, Popular Figures, and the come-back; THE BOSTON; CASTLE WALK. From the Richard Powers collection (1914_Ridley_Bell.txt, 165 lines).Year: 1914Family: ridley-bellCatalog: local
Dance manual/reference by Ridley Bell / Book Publisher's Press, New York City, 1914. Copyright 1914 by Ridley Bell — all rights reserved. Distributed as a complimentary promotional pamphlet by 'Forbes & Wallace, Springfield, Mass.' (department-store giveaway). Concise instructional handbook of the 1914 modern-dance vocabulary opening with the manifesto 'All the world dances nowadays. The new social dances are so different, so infinitely more fascinating, than those of other years that tripping the old-time waltz and two-step seems like burning tallow dips when one may revel in electric light.' Three figured positions referenced (Fig. 1 — closed ballroom hold; Fig. 2 — side-by-side; Fig. 3 — open with extended hand). Convention: 'Directions are written for man. Lady's steps are the same, except that man's left means lady's right; man's backward means lady's forward, and vice versa.' Sections: THE HESITATION (basic step + 4 Variations + Pivoting + Twinkle figures); THE TANGO ('a variation of the Argentine Tango. The latter is too complicated for popular usage. The One-step and the Tango known to the general public are practically twins.') with Circle, Grapevine, Draw, Lame Duck, Popular Figures, and the come-back; THE BOSTON; CASTLE WALK. From the Richard Powers collection (1914_Ridley_Bell.txt, 165 lines). (1914). Imported from local collection.