What's on the air (Nov 1929-Feb 1931)

WHAT'S ON THE AIR Page 7 Position of couple in third step of the Promenade New Dance Each Month Keep Your Dancing Up to Broadway Fascinating New Tango Steps by ARTHUR MURRAY "America'^ Foremost Dancing Instructor" NOVEMBER will see the tango more popular than ever. The latest of the tangoes is a simplified dance, and is a fascinating treat. At present it is the rage among the better dancers who frequent New York's most fashionable hotels. It is safe to say that what one sees danced in the grill-rooms of these hotels today will be popular everywhere tomorrow. And New York's better dancers can not get enough of the tango. Its weird music, its delightful rhythm, are irresistible! The new tango is often referred to as the "Waltz Tango" because of the predominance of old-fashioned waltz steps. It is most important that one should know the real waltz before learning the tango. The tango tempo is very much like the fox-trot time, and these steps may be danced to foxtrot music. It may be danced to 2-4 or 4-4 time. However, we shall not be concerned with technical terms. We shall use the simplest method of counting — that of counting the actual steps taken. In the tango and fox trot, the steps are divided into slow and quick movements. The slow steps take about a second, and they require two quick beats of the music. The quick steps are twice as fast as the slow steps, and they are given only half a second. To be sure that you know just how fast to walk, take out your watch and hold it in your hand while walking. Give one second to each slow walking step. Walk around the room for about ten minutes doing the slow steps. Don't let yourself get tired or bored by the monotony of it. Concentrate on results! After that, walk around the room with watch in hand and do the quick steps, giving a half second to each step. Be sure you learn to walk correctly to tango or slow fox-trot music before going any further. When you instinctively time correctly both the slow and quick steps you are ready to learn: i W Start The Prom-'nade Mr. Murray Fourth step of the Promenade (woman's part) I. THE TANGO WALK OR PROMENADE (Sometimes called the Forward Corte.) Man's Part. BEGIN with the left foot and take four long, slow walking steps forward, 1, 2, 3, 4; these four walking steps are not a part of the Promenade, but it is advisable to do them before actually beginning the Promenade. They are necessary in order to make the step fit the music. 1. Take one slow walking step forward with the left foot, placing weight on left foot. 2. Step forward quickly with right foot, moving it diagonally to the right, about fourteen inches to right of the left foot (see diagram), and quickly draw left foot up to right, weight on left. 3. Take one slow step straight forward with right foot, weight on right. Study the diagram and read these descriptions again. Kemember that each time you take a step you place the weight doiun on that foot. For instance, if you step foru..i\! or sidewise with the left foot, the iveight must be placed on the left foot. Please go back and read the instructions very carefully. Practice this step for about an hour. Lady's Part. It is advisable for the lady to be thoroughly familiar with the man's part before doing her own. This gives her a better appreciation of what she is supposed to do. If you know the man's part, you can appreciate more readily what is expected of you in order to follow him. The lady always begins with right foot. Remember that in order to follow well you must take long steps. Begin with four long, slow walking steps. 1. Take one long, slow step backward with the right foot. 2. Step backward quickly with the left foot, placing it about fourteen inches to the left of the right foot. (See diagram.) 3. Quickly draw the right foot up to the left foot, weight on right foot. 4. Take a long, slow walking step backward with the left foot, weight on left. That's all. Note that 1 and 4 arc slow steps, u bile 2 and ' are done quickly. Repeat from the beginning. Please go back and read the instructions very carefully. Practice this step for about an hour. (Continued on page SO.)