Figure 1.--Frances and Charles de Rham were New York socialites. They lived on Park Avenue and had a ranch in Jackson Hole where she spent summers. They were patrion of the arts and provided dance and etiquite lessons to children of New York society, Here is Mrs. de Rham we think in the 1950s. At the time it was still relatively common for upper- and affluent midle-class children to learn social dancing in schools.

There are two basic types of dancing schools. First were the schools teaching social dancing. These were schools attended by ordinary childre and in the case of the boys usually with no real interest in dance. Usually the boys were sent to these schools, in many cases rather unwillingly, at the insistence of their mothers. The other type of dance school is the schools teching different type of dance (classicl, modern, and ethnic) to children, mostly girls, with a real interest in dance. And for the girls who stuck with it into their teens, an abidng interet. The lack of interest in dance among boys is the general pattern. There is some variation among countries. In Russia we see many boys taking up dance which is why Russian balet dancers has such an impact. In America and Britain there is much less interest among boys in dance. The economic expansion of the late-19th century greatly expanded the American middle class. The rising propsperity had many impacts. This meant that a growing number of families were affluent enough to afford the finer things for their children, including clothing, schools and arts education, both music and dance. 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 their will. Dancing school classes were held to teach children deportment, etiquette, good manners, and civilized behavior as well as dance steps. This tradition declined after the 1960s as formal dance and manners became less popular with teenagers. Dancing schools did not disappear, but instead appealed to formal dance desciplines rather than social dancing. Nost of the interested students were girls. Balet became a major activities for girls. Tap was very popular in the 1920s abd 30s. We also note an interest in Irish step dancing among the Irish community, again mostly but not exclusivey for the girls.

Types

There are two basic types of dancing schools the popularity of which varied over time. First were the schools teaching social dancing. They were not very common in the early-19th century. America was still very rural and the small middle-class and limited urban populations was not a situation in which dancing schools thrived. This changed with industrialization and in rge second have of the century we do see dancing schools opening. These were schools attended by ordinary childre and in the case of the boys usually with no real interest in dance. Usually the boys were sent to these schools, in many cases rather unwillingly, at the insistence of their mothers. The other type of dance school is the schools teching different type of perfornance dance (classicl, modern, and ethnic) to children, mostly girls, with a real interest in dance. These schools were not very common throughout the 19th century as performance dancing was not seen as appropriate for children. This was a problem because to be an outsraning dancer one has to becin as a child. As American became more sophisticated we see more performance dancing schools opening. Again this was mostly for girls. Although there was some interest in tap among the boys. Unlike social dance, there was usually interest along the children, mostly girls. And for the girls who stuck with it into their teens, an abidng interet.

Gender

The lack of interest in dance among boys is the general pattern. There is some variation among countries. In Russia we see many boys taking up dance which is why Russian balet dancers has such an impact. In America and Britain there is much less interest among boys in dance.

Economics

Economics as for so much else played a major role in fance instruction. The economic expansion of the late-19th century greatly expanded the American middle class. The rising propsperity had many impacts. This meant that a growing number of families were affluent enough to afford the finer things for their children, including clothing, schools and arts education, both music and dance. 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 their will.

Purpose

Dancing school classes eaching social dances were held to teach children deportment, etiquette, good manners, and civilized behavior as well as dance steps. This was the case in the 10th and erly-20th century. This tradition declined after the 1960s as formal dance and manners in generl became less popular with teenagers. br>

Chronological Shift

Dancing schools in America were a first to teach social dances and social graces. There were not very many in the early-19th century. At this time well-to-do parents might hire aancung master to teach their childre, usually in the gamily home. As the century progreessed and America became more posperous this began to change. Industrialization meant a substantical expansion of the middle class. People from very modest often rural backgroundsachieved considerable success in expaning urban America. They might not be able to afford a dancing master to give instruction at home, but they could afford to send their children to a school. This was very common by the end of the century. Performance dance for children was not very common, but social dance was. This same pattern continued into the early-20th century, but then began to declibe. Dancing schools did not disappear, but instead appealed to formal, performance dance desciplines rather than social dancing. This gradully began to change as childrenm became increasing interest in performance fance (clssical, modern, and ethnic). Unlike the social dancing classes, the children ivolved were mostly, but not exclusively girls. After the mid-20th century as social dance schools became less common we see these performance schools becomong increasingly common. Some offeredmultiple dance forms like docial, balet, modern, and tap. The ethnic dance forms like Irish abdScottish tended ed to ne more specialized. These performannce dance schools are the primary dancing schools we see for children today. Balet became a major activities for girls. Tap was very popular in the 1920s abd 30s. Here the movies and Shirllet Temple were factors. Isadora Duncan popularized modern dance in the 1920s, again mosrly for girls. We also note an interest in Irish step dancing among the Irish community, again mostly but not exclusivey for the girls.

Sources

"Photo essay: Young society's taskmaster, William de Rham teaches manners to the children of the rich and famous," Life (February 4, 1957).

Created: 8:44 AM 9/3/2008
Last updated: 6:04 PM 12/30/2017