European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 23, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Kathryn and Arthur Murray Al their Home in Honolulu. Arthur Murra America s dance master by Joa Hanauer United press International thought he was a ral tire until he started to dance one Dapper confided to another. That was the headline of a full Page Magazine advertisement in 1926, showing he rappers eyeing a Young Man in a Tuxedo. The and promised Arthur Murray could teach you Loo to dance and Arthur Murray dance studios Are still enrolling 40,000 to 45,000 dance students a year. This year Marks the 75lh anniversary of Murray s career As America s Best known dance master he was born Murray Teichman on april 4. 1895, on new York s lower East Side his first ambition was to become an architect bul instead he began teaching people to dance at a new York ballroom in 1912, when americans were dazzled by ragtime and danced the crab step Kangaroo dip. Chicken scratch end Turkey Trot. While teaching he also look lessons himself at came House run by Vemon and Irene Castle. Murray branched out on his own in 1914, teaching at an Asheville . Resort in partnership with he Baroness de Kull lesson that s when he changed his name from Murray Teichman to Arthur Murray through nationally advertised mail order lessons and dance studio franchises he became so Well known that in 1942 Johnny Mercer Rolea song tilled Arthur Murray taught me dancing in a hurry Sung by newcomer Betty Hutton in the movie the Fleet s in. It was converted into a i record by Helen q Connell and Tommy Dorsey. From 1950to 1960 Murray and his Wile Kathryn. Hosted 1heir own television show the Arthur Murray parly a alternated among the four television networks in business at that Limo ii began on Abc wont to tha now de incl Dumont. And Svenla to lbs and finally Abc. In inc 19ate. An average of 2,000 people a week began taking dance lessons from an Arthur Murray Subidio the dance studios were patronized by a diary americans bul the Murray organization today Boas s thai Arthur Murray also taught prominent people such As Eleanor Roosevelt John 0. Rockefeller Ingrid Bergman Katharine Hepburn the Duke of Windsor Boh Hope. Bing Crosby and Johnny Carson. Murray who retired from a Active participation in the dance business in 1964, lives quietly in Hawaii. The 260 studios thai Bear his name Are still teaching people to dance in Iho United Stales Canada South Africa. Australia. New zealand Germany and puerto Rico. The Mast popular dances today believe it or not. Are the old standbys said 8 h Volpe. A forme Murray dance instructor who now is mar cling director or Iho Miami based Arthur Murray International. The tango has come on Strong particularly with the musical Evrew in new York and around the country. There s tremendous excitement about the Fox Trot swing has made a Strong comeback the Cha Cha Cha is very popular and the Waltz of course has always been a favorite " the people learning these dances Are not members of Frog geriatric set nor do women outnumber men when t started teaching in new York in 1946, it was predominantly Volpe said. Trie last 10 years or so there have been a rash of couples going into the school. In some cities there Are More men than women bul Overall i would say it was pretty event balanced their average ago today is 35 to 45, and there is a tremendous number of Young people coming in thanks to the return of the big bands and touch dancing " from a High of Between 350 to 400 studios in the period alter world War ii to a Low in the twist Era of the 19gos of about 180 full Els the dance instruction business again is on the upswing. The disco business is almost a thing of die past Volpe said disco places around the country Are closing or closed and inc ballroom crusade is Starling up he credits the Reagan administration with bringing Bach an Era of elegance recalling that when he Fust attended the Miami theater Tor the performing arts he saw people in Blue jeans and sweaters when i went in 1966 to see tango Argentina. I fell like i was at a Broadway he said the new feeling has extended into High schools and colleges. The kids Are trying touch dancing Volpe said and they find out it s More fun to dance when you Are holding somebody than when you Are just looking at them touch dancing9 to the big band sound by Nadine Brozan new York times Ide together Forward. Side tog Eilef Back. Quick Quick the instructions had the sound of a dance and deportment class in an elementary school gym. But die students being introduced to the Box step in new York City were from Barnard and Columbia colleges and they applauded when Bruce Powell told them you have just Learned the Box step and you must never forget it. It s like learning the first few words in another language indeed the Fox Trot Rumba and different body language to a generation reared in the school of dancing loosely known As disco or improvised gyration. When the Barnard student government association hired the Sammy Kayo orchestra to play at the College s Winter Ball recently. 1he organizers realized that few guests would know How to touch dance to tha music of the big band Era. Powell an administrator Al the University s graduate school of arts and sciences and a former dance teacher was recruited to give lessons and More than 90 students showed up for the sessions on two Days. There were no illusions Aboul what Powell could accomplish in two Short sessions obviously i won t turn them into super dancers he said on arriving at the Mantosh student Center Al Barnard where both the classes and the Ball were held the object is not so much dancing As it is social Grace and learning How to politely hold another Powell who once taught the Hustle at a dance studio in Exchange for lessons in ballroom dancing started from scratch. He had the students form two Long lines made hem clap to the beat and showed them How to walk their Way through 1he Box Alep. Once they had mastered enough to pair off he scurried about the floor giving gentle appraisals and advice. Among his words of counsel were these what you need to know Aboul holding a partner is mainly thai you need some resistance for balance. The idea is if you push on her Back she will feel your your eyes Don t move your Leet. Don l look Down. But Don 1 stare into each other s eyes either. You will bump into a Good dancer has a Good sense of geometry Tike a figure keep tha Steps a size your partner can handle no bigger than a walking although some of the students were clearly tentative about their dancing counting out Foud to the beat they were just As clearly delighted to be doing dances they had seen Only in old movies or on those occasions when their parents danced. We never heard o ballroom Danang Back Home in Klispell mont., said Susan Beamis Columbia 87, and monday february 23, 1987 certainly never knew of in being laugh anywhere. This is More fun than Rock and nodding in agreement her partner Gary Rempe also Columbia 87, said in Well a y., we did Square dancing and Rock at school dances. Nothing like Andy Cadel a Columbia Sopho Cue and Amy Keyishian a Barnard Sophomore had both wanted to go to a similar Darce put on Lasi fall by the Columbia greens a Campus organization but did t. Iney lamented because each of us thought that the other would t wan to this is the first Lime she s lot to lace her dancing and we be been going out for five months cads sad it s Okay As Long As he Tell me Lead Keyishian with a partner had a different Appeal for Allison Mcdonald. Barnard 89, who said she had seen ballroom dancing but had never done it herself. This is better than disco dancing she said. You can by closer and More intimate and you can Tell who people came i thought in would make things said John Kingdon Columbia 69. Jennifer Sher and Denowh Harlman Taoh Barnard 87. And Douglas Okun Columbia b7. Well to Roseland ballroom recently but we did l know what we were Dang so we had to Lake it Sher said. My Mother wanted to Leach my Hartman recalled Bulta ways said. On Mother now i think it s Lun " Okun agreed it is something our generation has to learn who will pass this on if we Don to the stars and stripes Page 17
