The Ten Commandments of the Perfect Dancer

(From Caras y Caretas, Buenos Aires, 1929)

I. You shall dance with all your enthusiasm, all your senses, and from the bottom of your heart. Dance is enjoyment that requires all the solemnity of a rite.

II. You shall be the guide of your partner, who shall follow and understand you at any moment. It would be improper to distract her attention with chatting.

III. Your right arm is the main channel of communication between your thought and your partner. You shall take care not to use it as an instrument of torture or a wrinkling machine for clothing at the same time. You may observe the lack of appreciation that you have roused in your partner also when she, after dancing with you, looks the pitiful sight of arranging her dress, as if she had participated in a match of Greco-Roman wrestling.

IV. You shall button up your jacket. Remember, your partner is no kitten wanting to hide its head in your suit.

V. You shall not extend your hand when inviting her to a piece. A dance is a mutual enjoyment and not a service to be begged for like charity. Consider as well how miserable you will look should she refuse and you have to withdraw the hand you so imprudently extended. Your rule shall be to respectfully approach the chosen one, to greet her with a slight inclination of the head, and ask if she wants to dance with you. If the response is affirmative, you shall accompany her, without giving her your arm, to the place where the dance will commence. At the end, you shall again accompany her in the same manner back to her seat. Remember: she is your partner and not your protegée, as in the good old days of the minuet and pavane.

VI. You shall never tell your partner that skill and elegance in dancing are unknown to you—even if it is the sad truth. You will influence her in such a way the she will feel “inhibited”. And, do not worry, she will be a better judge of your attitude than you are.

VII. You shall always begin with a back or side step. With this system it will be easier for your partner to understand you and the risk of a collision is diminished.

VIII. You shall follow the general direction in which the other dancers are moving. It is quite possible that you could show off what you think are your unequaled qualities as a dancer by dancing in the middle or against the flow. But if it were given to you to hear the silent curses directed at you by the majority, you would undoubtedly discontinue your absurd undertaking.

IX. You shall dance naturally. This includes elegance. The human body assumes an upright posture by itself: assuming a different one shows the forced character of your posture at a mile's distance.

X. And these are the ten commandments of the good dancer: you shall dance dancing. Every violation will receive immediate punishment in the shape of poisonous comments.

Translation © Wolfgang Freis 2017