Finding the Seam

This was a productive week. Although I did not run as much as I would have liked, I did get a lot of writing done, and the quality of said writing seems to be pretty darn high. As an added bonus, I think I have found my smoking gun.



As you, faithful reader, know, I contend that the Waltz became the sine qua non of ballroom dancing at/around the turn of the century, in response to the increased popularity of African American dance and musical forms. When I look at the popular ballroom dances of today, mostly what I see is a variation of the Waltz - yes, even in the latin categories. Or, more correctly, I see that these dances have all been through a filter that makes them look more like Waltz than anything else.



This week, while tracking down some more information on Allan Dodworth, a dancing master in NYC in the 19th century, I came across a mention of an organization, the American Society of Professors of Dance. They organized in the 1870s, and incorporated in New York in 1883. Every year, they held an annual meeting, and every year the NYTimes or the Washington Post managed to print something about their agenda. Some years more, some less, but from 1883 - 1918, I have been able to track the broad strokes of this association.



In 1922 they re-appear as the American Society of Teachers of Dance (A move to be more like the British teacher's group, the Imperial STD? Likely.), but 1922 is really beyond the scope of my study. It is telling, however, that the organization has such continuity, particularly in light of their principles. They were formed in reaction to the dwindling popularity of set dances -- quadrilles, lancers, germans, what you probably think of as "folk dancing" if you think of it at all, which, exepting when you read this blog, you probably dont -- in favor of "round" dances, like the Waltz, two-step, polka, etc; what you know today, broadly speaking, as ballroom dances. Partners go around the room together, in a counterclockwise direction, yada yada yada. The problem for the dance teachers is that round dances like these are WAY easier to learn and perform, they require far less by way of skill and dedication to master -- you can learn them from a friend, and have fun doing them. What to do? They are going to be out of a job if things keep moving in that direction. . . This is the 1880s. They aim at Standardization of performance as a way of job security -- making everyone everywhere dance in the same way. Sound familiar? Well, maybe not to you, but ask a ballroom dancer that you know if they could go anywhere and dance with anyone, and odds are they would say yes -- dancing is that standardized today. Common knowledge, really. Please, don't bother me with such trivial distractions!



Anyway. By 1900, the ASPD have far worse problems than the popularity of the Waltz or two-step. No one dances the waltz anymore, they are all into this crazy new fad, Ragtime. Long story short (too late!) they go to war against it, ban the music from their halls, and try to get people to dance properly. And the model they hold up, the standard to which everyone they instruct must aspire? You guessed it -- the Waltz. Boo-yah. Knocked out 15 pages this week on these folks, and there's more to come. That's chapter two nearly in the bag, and with luck I'll bring it in only 2 weeks behind my anticipated schedule.



On a sadder note, I got my first rejection letter today. Ok, yes, thank you Landru, its not my first rejection letter EVAR. But for the current job hunt, we can scratch the Jesuits of Scranton off our list of prospective employers.



Ran 10.12 miles today, 92 minutes. Rock Creek Park is really quite loverly!