Professor Wilkinson

“ The conductor takes another gentleman, whom he blindfolds and seats on the center chair. The lady selects another gentleman, whom she leads (walking on tiptoe) to one of the chairs next to the “blind” man, while she seats herself on the other chair. The first gentleman then asks the blindfolded man with whom he will dance, the person on his right or the one on his left? If fortunate enough to select the lady, he dances with her. If he indicates the gentleman, he must waltz with him, while the lady dances with her partner. ”

“ The movements are performed at the will of the leader; forward four, ladies’ chain, ladies to the center, right and left all around, or any other movements being called in succession. It is preferable to introduce those movements which require all the dancers, or at least one partner out of each couple. At an unexpected moment, generally in the middle of a movement where the gentlemen are separated from their partners, a signal is given, when each gentleman secures the nearest lady for a partner, the music stops, and each lady resumes her place with her new partner ”

“ In order to make the march an agreeable feature of the evening’s pleasures, it should be led off by a gentleman and lady who understand the details of the necessary evolutions, assisted, in case of necessity, by one or more of the floor committee, whose services may be called upon to preserve uniformity of action through the march. ”

“ All join hands in a circle, and take four steps forward and four back, again four steps forward, when the gentlemen take each other’s hands above and the ladies below, as in the “Quadrille Basket.” Then all balance in place; the leader then drops the hand of the gentleman on his left, and his partner drops the hand of the lady on her right, then all array themselves in a straight line. The gentlemen then lift their arms and disengage the ladies, who pass under and waltz forward, followed by the gentlemen. At a signal, the ladies turn round and dance with the opposite gentlemen. ”

“ As soon as the inner coil becomes small, the leader turns sharp round to the left and retraces his step between the coils, until he marches between the coils entirely out of them. He continues his march until all the coils are unwound, and then each gentleman retires a step to the left of his lady partner, and the march is continued in column until all the couples have fallen into regular order again. ”

“ When it is time for the dance to begin, the leader’s first duty is to seat the dancers. This is generally done by lot. The chairs are numbered in pairs. Each couple draws a 139 card, also numbered, and seat themselves in the chairs whose number corresponds to the number on the card. There should be an equal number of ladies and gentlemen participating. But, in case there are any of either sex who have no partners, they are seated at the end of the line, and the leader will see that they receive a due share of attention from the others. ”

“ The leader steps in front of his lady and leads the way up the center of the room; as each couple turns to go up the center, each gentleman steps into single line ahead of his lady, forming by degrees the whole couples into single file. When the first gentleman reaches the top of the room, he leads the way to the right entirely round and round the room, each successive round passing inside the former, describing a spiral track towards the center of the room. ”

“ Withdraw from a private ballroom as quietly as possible.
It is not customary for married persons to dance together in society.
At the beginning and end of a lancers, the gentleman bows to his partner, and bows again on conducting her to a seat. He may stay and chat with her for a few moments.
Should a lady decline your hand for a dance, and afterward dance with another partner, you will do well to attribute her error to either forgetfulness or ignorance of the laws of etiquette. 13
A gentleman conducts his last partner to supper; waits upon her there, and then re-conducts her to the ballroom. ”

“ Three gentlemen choose partners, and their partners select other gentlemen. The ladies retire to one end of the room and the gentlemen to the other, while the leader and his partner stretch a rope across the room, over which the gentlemen must jump to regain their partners. As the rope is managed so as to trip the gentlemen as much as possible, a great deal of amusement is afforded. ”

“ Four Ladies to the Right, Etc.—Each lady advances four steps to the gentleman at her right, turns with him, and takes his former partner’s place. Each gentleman then advances to the lady at his left, turns her and assumes her former partner’s side. This movement, repeated by both ladies and gentlemen, brings original partners together, but at the side of the set opposite to their original position. All then promenade entirely 70 around the set. The second and fourth times the figure is danced the couples will be restored to their original positions. ”

“ Head Couples Balance.—Each gentleman crosses hands with his partner; that is, he extends his left hand and takes his partner’s left, and takes his partner’s right hand in his right. In taking this position the right hands should be above the left. With hands crossed thus, the couple promenade across the set, passing the opposite couple to the right. Return to places in same manner.
Head Couples Ladies’ Chain.—The ladies of first and second couples cross to opposite gentlemen, touching right hands as they pass. They offer left hand to opposite gentlemen, who turn them half round. ”

“ The leader selects a gentleman and places him on a chair in the center of the room, and proceeds either to auction him off himself, or selects a good humorist from the circle to play “auctioneer.” The ladies must then enter into a spirited competition, and the one offering the highest bid dances with him. ”

“ A gentleman escorting a lady to a party or ball, should invariably dance the first number with her, or offer to do so, and afterwards see that she is provided with a partner whenever she wishes to dance. ”

“ The first four couples lead off with a tour de valse, and place themselves as for a quadrille. The first and second gentlemen retaining their partners’ hands, take with their left hands the side ladies on their left, who leave their partners, thus forming two threes at the head; they forward and back four bars; the gentlemen pass the ladies to the side gentlemen, the lady on the left passing under their right arms; the three forward and back four bars, the ladies going to the gentlemen at the head. This figure is repeated four times, when all dance. ”

“ Each lady selects a gentleman and each gentleman selects a lady. The second, fourth and sixth gentlemen, holding their partner’s left hands in their right, form a moulinet by joining left hands, and all six revolve slowly to the left. At the same time the first, third and fifth gentlemen, with their partners, waltz around to the right in the space between each of the gentlemen in the moulinet and his partner and under their raised arms. At a signal, those who have been waltzing form the moulinet, and the others waltz. ”

“ All marching should be done in straight lines, following the direction of the walls of the rooms, the change of direction being made precisely at each corner. The leader and his partner should lead the march; moving slowly once or twice round the room, to give all the couples time to fall in and follow. ”

“ The lady should yield entirely to her partner’s guidance. Unnecessarily close personal 105 contact should be, strictly avoided, both because it is unrefined and because it leads, inevitably, to awkwardness in posture and movement. The lady should not lean upon her partner. He is not supposed to sustain any portion of her weight. The gentleman should adapt his step to that of the lady, and especially guard against taking too long steps.
In all the round dances, the lady commences with the right foot and the gentleman with the left. ”

“ Two tables are provided, one for the gentlemen’s favors and one for those designed for the ladies. The leader may distribute the favors himself, but it is more customary to invite some lady to preside over each table. ”

“ When all are seated, the leader, as briefly and clearly as possible, explains the figure to be danced, and calls the requisite number of dancers to the floor, beginning at the head of the line. The couples thus designated dance once 140 around the room and then perform the figure as directed, which is repeated until all have danced. The leader should be constantly on the floor, directing and assisting where it is necessary to do so. ”

“ Should the ladies be in the minority, the gentlemen who are without partners are always permitted to engage any of the ladies for a single figure without any formal introduction. Where ladies are without escorts, they are generally under the special care of the leader, who either dances with them himself, or presents them to some of the gentlemen. ”

“ All form a large circle by joining hands. The leader and his lady separate from the circle, which must be at once reconnected, and waltz around inside the circle. He stops at a signal, and the lady passes through the circle and takes her seat. He then selects another lady, with whom he dances. At a signal, he retires from the circle, and the lady with whom he has just danced selects a new partner from the circle, and so on for the others. ”

“ While it is absolutely necessary that all authority in regard to the cotillion should be placed in a single individual, it is also necessary that the ladies and gentlemen who compose the set should render to the leader all possible 138 assistance in carrying out his orders, or rather suggestions.
To be a successful leader requires a combination of tact, patience, courtesy, vivacity and common sense. ”

“ As each new couple arrives it places itself behind the one previous. When all have arrived they conclude by a general waltz or mazourka. When this figure is executed in polka, you dance through the passes of the labyrinth with the waltz à deux pas, which requires less space; when the figure is executed in mazourka, you have recourse to the mazourka waltz. The Labyrinth is one of the final figures of the cotillion. ”

“ In the waltz the partners stand facing each other, the gentleman a little to the right, encircling the lady’s waist with his right arm, supporting her firmly, yet gently, and holding her right hand with his left, extending it nearly to the height of his waist, the left arm being only slightly bent at the elbow. ”

“ In this book the author has clearly set forth the best and most simple rules governing society and has also given many practical and useful hints as to the best way of gaining social prominence.
A book no Young Man or Woman, or, in fact, any one desiring to be a social success should be without. ”

“ If the number of couples is large, the first couple can follow the last couple at once under the arches, if preferred, and repeat the arbor continuously as long as may be desired. The plain march in couples is then resumed, until the line of march is in regular order again. ”