Figure 1.-- Children from affluent families were sent to dancing school in the first decade of the 20th century. (We're less sure about the 19th century.) These children were photographed in Indianapolis in 1907. They are dressed in fancy-dress costumes in preparation for some sort of performance featured by the class. They seem to be wearing their ordinary dress-up clothes modified mainly by fancy hats. The boys are wearing the usual knee pants of the period, although a few boys seem to have knickers. Notice the use of white long stockings on the boy seated on the steps at the right margin of the picture. White stockings were considered especially dressy, especially for younger boys. Many of the boys, however, wear black long stockings. Dancing school classes were held to teach children deportment, etiquette, good manners, and civilized behavior as well as dance steps, and the boys and girls were always taught to wear their most formal party clothes.

American boys have been involved in dance to varying degrees and have worn a variety of dance costumes. Our information on dance is still very limited. Hopefully readees will be able to provide more detailed information. Many American boys participated in dances in the 18th and 19th centuries which are now seen as folk dancing. Some religious groups objected to dancing as too sensuous. Some boys did modern or interperative dance at the urging of their mothers in the early 20th century. Often they did not care for it at all. The economic expansion of the late-19th century greatly expanded the American middle class. Many mothers with newly acquired social status wanted their sons taught social graces. Thus it became increasingluy common to send children to dancing classes, in many cases against theor will. Dancing school classes were held to teach children deportment, etiquette, good manners, and civilized behavior as well as dance steps. Balet was less popular in America than Europe, but tap fancing was popularized by Shirley Temple. Boys also did ethnic dancingm including German, Greek, Irish, Native American, Scottish, and others. Many children learned Werstern folk dancing in school. Teenagers enjoyed the many popular social dances that appeared throughout the 20th century. Currently there is a revival of tap dancing as well as break dancing.

Chronology

American boys have been involved in dance to varying degrees and have worn a variety of dance costumes. Our information on dance is still very limited. Hopefully readers who know more about dance will be able to provide more detailed information. Many American boys participated in dances in the 18th and 19th centuries which are now seen as folk dancing. We have no idea about dance classes and schools. We suspect that here were dance lessons for children at least by the late-19th children, although we do not yet have information. A complicating factor here is that some religious groups objected to dance. We have found photographic evcidence of dance glasses in the early-20th century. This includes both performance dancing and social dancing. Here there were gender differences. Performamnce dancing was primarily for girls. Social dancing lessons were more likely to involve boys. Mothers tended to be more insistent about social dancing. This was less true of performance dancing in which we mostly see younger boys involved.

Religious Objections

Some religious groups objected to dancing as too sensuous. This varied among the different Christian denomintions. There are also differences on the type of dancing, including social dancing. This view was particularly pronounced among Protestant fiundamentalist churches. Here there were a range of belieds. They believe that that dancing is either inherently sinful in itself or that certain forms of dancing could lead to sinful thoughts or activities. As a result, some churches prohibit dancing altogethr or more commonly during religious services. The denominations and groups involved include Baptist, Holiness movement sects, Hutterite, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mennonite, Seventh-day Adventist, and others. There is special concern when alcoholic bvrahes are concerned. The Church of the Nazarene is especually concened about dancing. They recommend against "All forms of dancing that detract from spiritual growth and break down proper moral inhibitions and reserve." Many Christian churches set such judgements locally.

Dancing Lessons

Dance is am age old art and popular activity. Native Americans practived a variety of dances millenial before the arrival of Europeans. It was an impirtant part of their cilture and tghus learned mistly by observation over time. In yhe realy colonia; period, there was a significant difference between North amd South. The Pilgrims in Massachusettes did not approve of dancing and many celebrations including Christmas. Settlers in Virginia were more respresentitive of English life including dance. There were great social differences. Court life included elsborate dances which had to be learned whjich involved dancing lessons by dance masters. Well to do people also engaged in dance. We are not entirely sure about common people. Obviously they could not afford dance masters. We are not entirely sure to what extent parties and other celebrations involved dance. There were barn dances where country dance was popular. Country dance seems to be the amalgum of various European dance styles of common people. Now country dance may seem today as a small part of popular dance, it mist be understood that until the 1929s, most Americans lived in rural areas. To the extent that most children had dancing lessons it would have been at home where parents or other relatives coaching the children and thriugh observation and trial and error. Ballroom dancing seems to have been more of an urban form practiced by the upper and middle classes. And here as Americanm industrialized and became wealthier, more and more families began to think about dancing lessons. Many childre were taught as home, but dancing lessons at least for middle-class families became a ritual. Most families could not afford to engage a dancing master, but msny could afford some sessions at a dancing school to get down the basic two-step. Many boys went to school. Mostly girls went for more sophisticated lessons (balet, ethnic, modern, and tap). One source tells us, "By the end of the 19th century dancing in America was, in the eyes of some, in a sorry state. The intricate, European dances of mid-century–the polka, the mazurka and the waltz–were being slowly edged out by the simple twostep, a dance some referred to as the 'idiot waltz', On the early-20th century, new mnore involved dances like the turkey trot and Chsrleston became popular. Public schools began adding dabce to the gym program, but mostly teaching country dance and the basic two-step.

Dance Types

We see American boys involved in various fprms of dance programs. One of the most popular was tap dancing. Tap dancing was popularized by Shirley Temple in the 1930s. Balet was less popular in America than Europe. There was a stigma among many boys attached to dancing, especially balet. That is not as strong today, but does still exist. Some mothers enrolled boys in modern dancing classes during the early-20th century. Boys also did ethnic dancing, including German, Greek, Irish, Native American, Scottish, and others. Irish step dancing was one of the most popular of these ethnic programs. Some Scout programs promoted Indian lore and dancing. Many children learned Werstern folk dancing in school. Teenagers enjoyed the many popular social dances that appeared throughout the 20th century. Currently there is a revival of tap dancing as well as break dancing. Some boys enjoy ballroom dancing. And Disney through 'High School Musical' and helped to populsrize performsnce dancing.

Created: 7:24 PM 9/11/2007
Last updated: 4:15 PM 2/2/2020