Art of Stage Dancing — Chapter 8: Ned Wayburn's Musical Comedy Dancing

[Illustration] This is one of the most useful as well as attractive types of stage dancing, and appeals strongly to all aspirants for theatrical honors and emoluments.

I say "useful," for the reason that Musical Comedy dancing as I teach it supplies dancers with a repertoire of fancy steps and neat dance routines that should enable them to sell their services in the best theatrical markets of the world, which seems to me to be a pretty "useful" sort of a property for one to have in their permanent possession.

If I here repeat that frequent practice on the part of the student is necessary for the correct acquirement of Musical Comedy dancing, I am merely stating what is right and necessary that all should understand who desire to make their services in this line of endeavor available for public approval and a corresponding cash return.

And this applies to every other kind of dancing as well.

Now you may think that you know just what Musical Comedy Dancing is, and perhaps you do, but the name of it hardly defines it so that it would be recognized for exactly what it is by one not thoroughly stage-wise.

You see a pleasing ensemble or solo dance at some revue or musical show and, without seeking or desiring to classify this dance as this, that or the other kind, you are satisfied to realize in your inner consciousness that it is a pretty movement and well worth seeing.

So exact is the execution that it arouses your wonder how the dancers ever manage to get so many intricate steps and rapid motions and pretty flings of their heels into a united and harmonious picture;

all working in perfect unison, to a pleasing tempo, smiling the while and doing it all as a mere matter of course, with seeming unconcern, just as though the steps and kicks and posing and grouping were second nature to them all.

That is a Musical Comedy dance, and instead of growing on bushes to be gathered by every careless hand, it is actually the result of studious endeavor and persistent drilling on the part of the participants, and of careful and conscientious training by competent dancing instructors.

It is well done and gratifying to the spectator because it is the finished product of qualified teaching, earnest endeavor, tireless energy, practice, rehearsing.

Remember this, the next time you attend a show where dancing is a feature, and accord the dancers the credit that is their due.

True Musical Comedy dancing is in reality an exaggerated form of what was formerly styled "fancy dancing."

It is a cross between the ballet and the Ned Wayburn type of tap and step or American specialty dancing.

It combines pretty attitudes, poses, pirouettes and the several different types of kicking steps that are now so popular.

Soft-shoe steps break into it here and there in unexpected ways and places, adding a pleasing variety to the menu.

The tempo enhances and harmonizes the scene and the action.

There is no monotony, no tiresome sameness; yet the varying forms of action blend into a perfect continuity.

The dance is full of happy surprise steps, perhaps, or unexpected climaxes and variations that arouse the interest as they quickly flash by.

Often there is featured in Musical Comedy dancing a bit of so called "character" work, which may be anything--Bowery, Spanish, Dutch, eccentric, Hawaiian, or any of the countless other characteristic types.

Also there are touches of dainty ballet work interspersed among the other features, at times.

Yet to accomplish the ballet effects or the character representations exacts of the dancer no special development along strictly ballet or classical lines, when she obtains her Musical Comedy training here, for these features are given the required attention as part of the regular course in fitting the student for this branch of the stage dancing art, and thus our Musical Comedy graduates are qualified for all the variations of effort that naturally come under that head.

My foundation technique is a prime factor in the successful accomplishment of any type of dancing, and the scientific limbering and stretching exercises that constitute that work are indispensable in perfecting the pupil to handle every phase of the varied demands in Musical Comedy dancing.

Hence my insistence that our foundation technique precede the entrance of the pupil into the classes of this or any of the other various types of stage dancing that we teach.

[Illustration: FRED AND ADELE ASTAIRE] Two of my most famous pupils in Musical Comedy dancing are Fred and Adele Astaire, brother and sister.

They came to me to study from Omaha, Nebraska, as little tots of about six and seven years of age.

Adele was always fond of coming to her classes; but Fred says that he just "followed on" through brotherly association rather than from any preconceived ambition to become a professional dancer.

Then, through reverses of family fortunes, the time came when they felt that they should be supporting themselves.

They continued to study under me, and I was very happy to be able to place them in vaudeville in a singing and dancing act, which I had prepared for them.

This started them on their career, which has led them to Europe and back again.

They have appeared in "Over the Top," "The Passing Show of 1918," "Apple Blossoms," and in "The Love Letter."

They then scored a sensational success in London in "Stop Flirting" (575 performances).

Now they are starring in "Lady, Be Good," on tour after a long run in New York.

In this chapter I shall now describe in detail 32 bars of a simple musical comedy dance, a "soft shoe" routine, as we call it, to give you some understanding of how modern stage dances are developed at the Ned Wayburn Studios.

[Illustration: NW] MUSICAL COMEDY ROUTINE--4/4 TEMPO

Tune: "Way Down Upon the Swanee River."

The dancer enters from stage left.

Step right foot to right oblique on count of "one."

Step left foot behind to right oblique back on count of "two"; step right foot around behind the left on count of "and"; step left foot to right oblique on count of "three"; repeat same for "four," "five," "and," "six."

Step right foot to right oblique, count of "seven"; drag left foot in air behind to right oblique and slap left heel with right hand on count of "eight."

Step left foot to left on count of "one"; drag right foot in air behind to left oblique and slap right heel with left hand on count of "two"; step right foot to right on count of "three" and drag left foot across in front in air on count of "four"; step left foot to left facing left, count of "five"; right foot front small step on count "and;" step left foot back facing back, count of "six;" right foot to left, small step on "and."

Left foot to right facing right, count of "seven"; right foot to back, small step on "and."

Left foot to front facing front, count of "eight."

Now repeat entire movement.

These two movements should take the dancer to the centre of the stage;

done in eight measures of 4/4 time.

Step right foot to right oblique count of "one"; hop on it in same place with left foot in air behind to left oblique back, count "two";

step down to left oblique back with left foot on count of "three"; hop on left foot, extend right foot in air right oblique on count "four";

step right foot back behind left foot on count "five"; step left foot to left oblique back, count "six"; step right foot across to left oblique, count "seven"; hop on right foot, extend left foot in air right oblique back, count of "eight."

Now reverse this entire movement to other side.

These two steps are done in four measures of 4/4 tempo in the centre of the stage.

Step right foot to right, count "one"; step left foot behind to right oblique back, count "and"; step right foot down in same place, count "two."

Reverse to left for count of "three," "and," "four"; then step right foot to right, count "five"; step left foot in front to right, turning and facing up stage, count "six"; step right foot around stage front to right, turning front again, count "seven"; drag left foot across in front of right to right, count of "eight."

Reverse this entire step to other side.

These two steps are done in four measures of 4/4 tempo in centre of the stage.

This finishes the first half of the chorus, or 16 measures.

Facing left oblique, drag right foot from left oblique to right oblique back, count of "and"; hop on left foot in same place, count of "one"; drag right foot from right oblique back to left oblique, count "and"; hop on left foot same place, count of "two"; drag right foot from left oblique to right oblique back, count "and"; hop left foot same place, count of "three"; displace left foot with right foot from right oblique back, left foot extending to left oblique, all on count of "four."

Hop on right foot same place, count "and;" step left foot to left oblique, count "five"; step right foot across in front to left oblique, count "six"; hop on right foot same place, count of "and";

step left foot to left oblique, count of "seven"; hop on left foot same place, and turn, kick right foot to right oblique, count "eight."

Going up stage right oblique back facing right oblique, step right foot back to right oblique back, count "one"; step left foot to right foot, count of "and"; step right foot to right oblique back, count "two"; step left foot to right foot, count of "and"; step right foot to back, facing back, count "three"; hop on right foot turning right to face front on count "four."

Step left foot to left oblique on "five"; step right foot to left foot on "and"; step left foot to left oblique on "six"; step right foot to left foot on "and"; step left foot to left oblique on "seven"; hop on left foot and kick right foot to right oblique on "eight."

Reverse all of these steps.

These are done in eight measures of 4/4 tempo in the centre of the stage.

Step left foot to left oblique, count "one"; step right foot behind to left, bend left knee, count "two"; hop on right foot and kick left to left oblique, count "three"; swing left foot back to right oblique back on "four"; bring right foot around behind left on count "and";

step left foot to front, count "five"; step right foot back to left on "six"; bring left foot around behind right on count "and"; step right foot to front on count of "seven"; step left foot to left oblique on count "eight."

[Illustration: CECIL LEAN] Step right foot to right on count "one"; swing left foot up stage and step to back on "and"; right foot straight in place, facing up stage, count "two"; step left foot to stage right on count "three"; facing right swing right foot to right, count "and"; step left foot straight in place, count "four"; now facing front, having made complete left back turn.

Now step right foot to right oblique back, count "five";

step left foot to right oblique back behind right foot, count "and";

straight with right foot in place, count "six"; step left to left oblique back, count "seven"; step right foot to left oblique back behind left foot, count "and"; straight with left foot in place, count "eight."

Reverse these steps.

These steps are done in eight measures of 4/4 tempo, in the center of the stage.

This completes the first chorus, or 32 measures.

[Illustration: NW] MR.

WAYBURN ADDRESSES A CLASS IN MUSICAL COMEDY DANCING