Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, January 9, 1916, Page 25

& T Mr. Irving Brokaw and Charlotte, the Famous Skater of the Hippo- drome, Posing Specially for This Page, Showing the Correct Position for the Waltz on Ice, How to Do th New Dance on lce Skates An Instructive Series of Lessons by Mr. Irving Brokaw, the Foremost Figure Skater of America No. —How to Waltz on the Ice By Mr. Irving Brokaw A Champlon Figure Skater of America, Author of the “Art of Skating,” Etc. NY one who has studled and A mastered the elementary school figures described in the preced- ing articles will be in a position to take up the Valse and other simple ice-dances. 1 shall leave the remaining school figures, the Bracket, Rocker and Counter, therefore, for a later article. The Valse will be more effective to raise the standard of proficlency among skaters in general than any other figure, because people otherwise unambitious to acquire proficiency will be aroused enough by seeing the Valse well per- formed to practise it as an essential to skating. The credit for the introduction of waltzing on ice has been claimed by various countries. In this connection it may be interesting to note that it originated here in the early sixties, a fact in which we may take no little pride. 1 have seen it described in an American book published at that time, There are two styles of valsing on skates. One is the Circular Valse and the other the Serpentine. There is no difference in the steps, but the course followed by the skaters is quite dif- ferent. . In the Circular Valse the couples re- volve around large circles, in the form of a single or double eight, which take up nearly the full width of the rink or other skating surface, all making their turns together in time to the music. In the Serpentine Valse the skaters follow waving lines along each side of the rink, with a wide curve at ¢ach end, the skaters \advancing to and receding from the centre line and continually reversing their direction of turning as they get onto the different curves. Hav- ing only half the width of the rink avail- able for their strokes, these are neces sarily curtailed, and, as a rule, it is fmpossible to take more than two con secutlve strokes in one direction (except at the ends of the rink), for it is not safe to cross the centre line as the couples on the other side are progress. ing in the opposite direction, and a col- lision would be disastrous. In the Circular Valse, on the other hand, there is practically no danger from collision, for when two couples do come together the result is harmless, as they they are both travelling in the same direction. Then again in this method there are so-called “safety zones" in which the couples may stand when not skating, when there is no such possi bility in the Serpentine style. For these reasons I amn a strong ad vocate of the Circular Valse, and hope that this method will be pretty gener- ally taken up, in order that we may standardize our dances on ne ice. Those wlo have never followed any particular ystem of valsing will find the Circular Valse the easier of the two styles, and those who have hitherto followed the Serpentine system will find no aiffi- culty in making the change. Valsing on skates has nothing in com- mon with the ballroom waltz except the position of the partners, their simulta- neous rotation and their execution of the figure to waltz music It is a good idea for skaters first to learn what the valse figure is and to practise it persistently alone before try- ing it with a partner. The steps of the valse are long, even, sustained glides of several yards in length, with smooth, circling move- ments. In its simplest form the valse step is nothing more than an ordinary forward outside edge on one foot, followed by a three-turn to the back inside edge on the same foot, and then a passing, with a gliding step—not a drop—to the back- ward outside edge on the other foot. This inside backward edge—the tall of the three—Iis often held for a yard or two before gliding to the outside back- ward on the other foot. While tracing this last step, outside backward, the body should be gradually turning, to allow the skater to pass stralght on to the outside forward on the original foot, when the figure may be repeated. It is obvious, from their relative posi- tions, that when the man i{s moving on forward curves his partner will be mov- ing on backward ones, on opposite but reverse feet; when he is on backward curves she will be on forward ones; and further, when he is cutting the three- turn she will be passing from her out- side forward edge on her other foot, and vice versa. The three-turn, as described, has been confined to the left foot, and brings about a rotation of the valsers counter- clockwise. To change or reverse this ro- tation, the figure is done similarly on the right foot, that is to say, the three- turn, which gives the rotation, is now done on the right foot, Usually two or three turns are done on the left foot, counter-clockwise rota- tion, to one or two on the right; the re- verse, when the rotation is changed back to the first, and so on, effecting a gen- eral progression of the valsers around the skating area The main effect and charm of the valse depend on the manner in which the change of rotation is accomplished, When it is desired to make the change the man, who is usually leading and guiding instead of cutting another three holds his forward outside edge, and then, after having traced thereon a fair sized plain circle rocks over to the for ward outside edge on the other foot, prepara- tory to cutting the three-turn before ex- plained. While doing this his partner is trac- Backward. ing the corresponding backward outside edges—of course, on opposite feet By most skaters this rotation is ef fected by means of a sudden jerk or heaving over—the man crossing one foot over the other, in order to obtain the necessary push to force his partner round the other way. Good performers also effect the rotation by crossing the foot, but in such a manner as to disguise the movement as much as possible, by Jjust slipping the foot over the other in a gliding step. One never observes a good lady valser make use of the cross-step backward to change her rotation. The lady, instead of passing stgaight from the backward edge on one foot to the same edge on the other foot, should glide over, by a gradual change of edge, from the outside to the inside, on the first foot, tracing thereon an inside curve, often several yards long, before passing from that foot to the outside back on the other. This will enable her partner- who at the same time changes from his forward outside to a curve on the in side—to skate round her smoothly and easily at the proper angle; and their change of rotation will therefore be effected by an easy, even, floating swing of the body, delightful to behold and still more delightful to experience, For practice in acquiring the valse steps, nothing can be better than doing the figure alone in an eight to a centre— the rotation being changed L,/ the lady on her backward edge and by the gentle man on his forward edge at the centre of the eight. Except in making the forward three turns, the lady should be on the back ward edges, for the reason that as her partner must take the leading or guiding part, he must of necessity be free to look in the direction of motion. As the movements must be as supple and as emooth as possible, all signs of effort should be concealed, ease .and grace being the most essentia! charac teristics of the movement Unity of movement may perhaps be sald to come next in importance to ease and grace; this can only be attained by the motions of the gentleman’s arms and Copyright, 1916, by the Star Company Mr. and Mrs. Brokaw Waltzing on the Ice, the Gentleman on the ‘Left Outside Forward and His Partner on Her Right Outside during the * legs acting in unity with those of the lady. The valsing couple should pay specia’ attention to the suppleness of the trac ing or employed leg, which should never be held straight or rigid, but should be bent easily before and after each turn; it should be slowly straightened at the beginning of every edge to give proper graceful and easy effect During the change from one foot to the other, on the back edges, the lady's tracing foot should make a slight change of edge, so that at this point a kind of undulatory effect can be given to the flgure, To make the change from inside back ward to outside backward on the other absolutely imperceptible, one foot shoyld ®v CeumTEIY oOF SPALOING S Another View of Mr. Brokaw and Charlotte Illus- trating the Correct Waltzing Position from the Opposite Side, ATHLETIC Ligmany The Steps of the Waltz on Ice—Figure 1 Showing the Lady’s Steps; Figure 2 the Gentleman's Steps, and Figure 3 the Over-Lapping Steps of the Pair. be placed on the ice as near as possible to the other during the execution of the three-turns, It is imperative to skate iIn perfect rhythm or time to the music, which must be fast enough to enable the valsers to give plenty of ac- tion to the dance. All edges should show similarity of curve; therefore, the edges should be near- ly equal in length. To skate the valse in eight form, the partners must keep turning smoothly change in the centre and carefully avoid the tendency to long, straight edges To avoid firregularity of movement the strike-off must be simultaneous. The head should be held erect, and the body upright but flexible. Each partner should be square and opposite to each other, and there should be no turning of the head to look around before cutting the three-turn The curve should be skated with firmness and precision, and, as a general rule, held for something like a fourth or a third of a circle both be for and after the turn is cut. The pair skating together—the lady taking the man's part and the man the lady’'s part is an excellent ald to proficienc: The mode of starting the valse figure should not be haphazard but with definite movements in concert and in step. Nor should it be brought to an end abruptly. One way is for the man, just before the last bar or two of music, to release his partner’s waist, and then going forward on his left and she backward on her right, just with the final notes, swing or float her off on a long, sweeping back spiral, A further enchantment of the valse is known as the “wav: The simple wa consists in & uniform rise from the start of the forward outside of the valse figure, during the whole curve, up to the three- turn. The wavy motion thus resulting is turn, and an equally even drop after the produced by an alternate, gradual straightening up and bending down of the knee and ankle of the tracing leg. The “back double wave,” invented by Miss Harrison, of the Prince's Bkatiug Club, London, and described by Ernest Law in his book, “Valsing on Ice,” con- sists of a first wavelet executed during the change of edge, which effects the rotation—in this instance the lady's left back outside to inside edge—and of a sec- ond wavelet executed toward the end of the inside edge. If after only one three-turn has lLeen cut in either direction by each partner, involving one complete revolution of the pair, the rotation is alternated at once, then the long, intermediate changing strokes, whereon the lady travels back- ward {n a single, succeeded by a double wave, will occur so frequently as to oc- cupy exactly half the musical time of \he valse, and thereby, in the view of some, affording the most delightful way of skat- ing the valse figure. In the next article, we will endeavor to explain other dances, such as the 10-step, Mohawk, the 14-step, the Jackson Haines Valse, the Rocker Valse, etc. Women Can Learn to Love but Men Can’t " & man does not love a woman at the time he marries her I ne never will! She may keep the best house in town, cook the best meals and be an ideal wife, but all s lost for her. He cannot be taught can. If the man she marries is kind to her and makes her happy she soon learns her lesson of love, and like the cat on the hearth, begins to purr and settle down for a long stay But man must love from the start; must be wild about his wife Man never changes. to be a faithful husband. He would rather eat burned toast day after day prepared by a well loved wife than to eat a banquet from tue hands of a wife who does not fill his heart with thrills. can be tamed by the comforts of life, can marry a man, and although she may not be head over heels in love at the time of her marriage she will soon find a sparkle of lov up in her heart. If & young man realizes that his flancee does not really love him as he loves her, he need not be at all alarmed, for, if he intends to make a kind, thoughtful and loving husband, he will But if a girl is engaged to & man who really cares little about her she would take the (wisest step of her life by breaking the engagement. {teach man art, music and all the sciences in life; we cun make an excellent business man out of him, but we cannot teach him to love a girl because she is good or has some wonderful talent, soon gain all the love he desires. Great Britain Rights Reserved to love. Woman mands. Woman, who at conversation. e growing she loves him. You can we cannot make him a good husband or even teach him the art of pretending to be one. Woman can learn to love as easily as to learn a new stitch in crocheting, or she can pretend to be in love, if the case de- The little girl starts out in life by pretending she is mother to a great wax doll; she pretends she is rich, is mar- ried, a society lady and is happy in her dreams. heard of a boy pretending or wanting to be a father and mar- ried before his time? The little things of life make the woman's world. looks at the big side, the vital question, if he loves the girl and then he goes into details later, the fact whether she is a good housekeeper, a dainty cook and clever Woman goes into detail first; she wonders what the man's salary is, what his habits are, his disposition and whether he would make a good husband, and only lastly if But who ever, Man only He asks himself first The man who tries to pretend he is in love soon shows his cards at the game, and his wife sees his true attitude. man's nature is broad and if he loves as he must, right from first sight, he always loves. wife of his choice may make, his love is ever true, often ceases to' love the moment her husband does not provide for her and make her hearth a comfortable one. Although we can never teach a man to love a woman, his love, ence started, never turns into ice. But th It does not matter how poor the Woman