The American periodical Harper's Bazaar was started in 1867 by the company Harper & Brothers as a weekly fashion magazine. It is well-known to those interested in nineteenth-century costume for its beautiful, highly detailed fashion plates
On February 22, 1896, Harper's Bazaar published a short article entitled "Fashionable Dances of the Day" that gave advice to anyone constructing a program for a ball, based on what was fashionable in New York City at the time:
those [dances] which are the most popular here in New York, for instance, are universally recognized as the dances correct for any entertainment which may be given elsewhere
New York attitudes appear not to have changed in the slightest in the last century.
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In 1896 the long dominance of the Victorian dance repertoire was drawing to a close. The quadrille was going out of fashion, the contra dance was mostly gone outside of New England, and even the variety of "round dances" like the polka and schottische was draining away in favor of the easy, lively two-step. Only the waltz had staying power. The advice given by the anonymous author reflects these trends perfectly.
Quadrilles were nice to have for older people who weren't up to more strenuous dancing:
As far as possible, square dances are are being eliminated from the order of the dancing functions of to-day, but as they will always be pleasing to the people who, although they may feel of dancing spirit inclined, are not as young as they once were, and so not quite equal to the giddy measures of the waltz or two-step,
Young people, especially at less formal events like country house parties, liked them as well for the opportunity to, ah, frolic:
Indeed, at the lively free and easy festivities given where a house party assembles in the country, or at dances given in a private house in town, where all present know each other intimately, these same square dances are often an opportunity for the young people to indulge in a frolic and give vent to their surplus of animal spirits, for in the various figures where the low courtesies, gay promenading, changing partners, and "all hands round" are made the occasion of much fun,
The Virginia Reel was a nice way to end an informal event, though one can practically the hear the editorial "rustic" echoing behind the author's politely cheerful commentary:
Another good old dance is the Virginia reel, always a favorite as a wind-up to any dancing party of an informal kind, and in this old and young may also take an equally active part, and enter with the same glee and enthusiasm into the spirit of the sport.
Round (couple) dances predominate, with the waltz and two-step being the overwhelming favorites and the polka holding on:
it is not unusual for a dancing entertainment to be given where the order of dances for the entire evening is made up of jolly waltzes, polkas, and two-steps, danced one after the other, with about twice as many waltzes and two-steps as polkas, and no square or any other dances.
Dances such as "dancing-in-the-barn" (also known as the Military Schottische) had faded from popularity. Variations like the York are mentioned and dismissed as only trivially different:
Many are the variations on these dances, called by different names, as the Yale, York, etc., one even being called the Trilby, I have heard; but although in name their variety may be great, in character they almost always resemble the original step from which they are adapted so nearly that those dancers who are thoroughly familiar with the foundations, which are generally one of the three dances given, will be able to easily pick up the trifling changes in the steps and time of all others that are called in every place by different names.
Though he or she does admit that there are at least different methods of dancing the polka and different preferred speeds for the waltz, even in New York:
Here in New York the waltz is danced much as in recent years, slow or fast, according to the preferences of the individual dancers...The polka is danced in different ways, with one, two, three, or more glides, three being the most popular,
In short, the waltz, two-step, and polka
are the ordinary dances of the present time, and in making a programme for a dancing entertainment it is safe to say that they succeeding one another, with perhaps four square dances, and a Virginia reel as a finale, will make an order of dancing agreeable to all the young people who may be present, and one in which the older people are also considered.
How representative are the author's opinions?
Judging from what I've seen on dance cards, they are about what I would expect for a big-city dancer in this era: right on the cutting edge of fashion, though oddly fond of the polka. In other areas, the schottische and quadrilles were not fading away nearly as quickly, and some contra dances still turn up on ball programs here and there. (In the far corners of New England, the contras last for another couple of decades, at least.). But by the early twentieth century, the takeover by the two-step and waltz would be fairly complete in major east-coast cities.
Along with the program advice, the article also includes advice on hiring musicians:
It is not necessary to have many of them, but those chosen must be well prepared. Their selections must be new and gay, the time well accentuated, but not too much so, and all the pieces played with the right spirit for dancing.
and the proper hold for round dances:
a gentleman holds his partner's right arm out straight, his left hand holding her right hand lightly but firmly, while his right arm encircles her waist, and her left hand rests on his right arm.
Note that "out straight" does not mean at shoulder level. Dancing master M. B. Gilbert, in Round Dancing (Portland, Maine, 1890), illustrates both the extended arms and the lady's left hand position exactly as described in the article. Ladies with longer arms and/or shorter partners will want to move the hand up to the curve of the shoulder so that the elbow will not be poking out too dramatically.
A final interesting note about the length of "selections":
Each selection should last about twenty minutes, and then should come a rest of about ten minutes before the next one is begun.
I do wonder what a "selection" consists of here. A single piece would be the obvious answer, but a twenty-minute polka, for example, seems more than a little excessive. A set of dances, perhaps? Earlier in the piece a quadrille was described as "a spirited quarter of an hour", which is just right for five figures. Four or five round dances would also fit nicely. Dance cards of this era almost always have an intermission listed (sometimes more than one), but perhaps minor breaks were taken as well.
My transcription of the entire article appears below.
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Fashionable Dances of the Day
Harper's Bazaar
February 22, 1896
Although in every city and town throughout the country there may be dancing steps and a manner of dancing peculiar to the place, still the fashionable dances of the day are in general principles much the same everywhere, and those which are the most popular here in New York, for instance, are universally recognized as the dances correct for any entertainment which may be given elsewhere, so we will concern ourselves with the ones now in vogue in our metropolis.
As far as possible, square dances are are being eliminated from the order of the dancing functions of to-day, but as they will always be pleasing to the people who, although they may feel of dancing spirit inclined, are not as young as they once were, and so not quite equal to the giddy measures of the waltz or two-step, they usually have their place in the programme of any entertainment where such guests may be present, and even if the younger dancers demur at the occasional lanciers or quadrilles set down in the list of the evening's dances, they nevertheless are usually quite ready to take part in them. Indeed, at the lively free and easy festivities given where a house party assembles in the country, or at dances given in a private house in town, where all present know each other intimately, these same square dances are often an opportunity for the young people to indulge in a frolic and give vent to their surplus of animal spirits, for in the various figures where the low courtesies, gay promenading, changing partners, and "all hands round" are made the occasion of much fun, many a spirited quarter of an hour may be enjoyed. Another good old dance is the Virginia reel, always a favorite as a wind-up to any dancing party of an informal kind, and in this old and young may also take an equally active part, and enter with the same glee and enthusiasm into the spirit of the sport.
But although these square dances may be tolerated, round dances at present have the undisputed supremacy, and of these the most popular are the ever-enticing waltz, which seems to hold its own among all dances, the polka, and the two step, or deux-temps.
Many are the variations on these dances, called by different names, as the Yale, York, etc., one even being called the Trilby, I have heard; but although in name their variety may be great, in character they almost always resemble the original step from which they are adapted so nearly that those dancers who are thoroughly familiar with the foundations, which are generally one of the three dances given, will be able to easily pick up the trifling changes in the steps and time of all others that are called in every place by different names. Again, dances which a few years ago were in high favor, as dancing-in-the-barn, are now in the decline of their popularity, and, in fact, it is not unusual for a dancing entertainment to be given where the order of dances for the entire evening is made up of jolly waltzes, polkas, and two-steps, danced one after the other, with about twice as many waltzes and two-steps as polkas, and no square or any other dances.
Here in New York the waltz is danced much as in recent years, slow or fast, according to the preferences of the individual dancers, but always in rather a dignified way, and as it is ever the most graceful of modern dances, so in the long-run is it the pleasantest in motion and time. In dancing this, as in all the round dances, a gentleman holds his partner's right arm out straight, his left hand holding her right hand lightly but firmly, while his right arm encircles her waist, and her left hand rests on his right arm. The polka is danced in different ways, with one, two, three, or more glides, three being the most popular, but in whichever way it must be danced in perfect time with the music, whether the movements of the dancers be slow and restful, or gay and rollicking, and degeneratng occasionally into a romp. The two-step, which is now in full tide of popular favor, almot rivalling the waltz in the opinion of its devotees, is danced to march time, the fine, spirited marches of Sousa's being the music most used to accompany it. For this the time of the music and the dancers must be well marked and the spirit of both lively, if it is to be made truly enjoyable and danced as it should be. It is a change from the waltz, easier, less fatiguing, and offering more opportunity for fun and jollity, so t is likely to maintain long its present high rank of favor.
These are the ordinary dances of the present time, and in making a programme for a dancing entertainment it is safe to say that they succeeding one another, with perhaps four square dances, and a Virginia reel as a finale, will make an order of dancing agreeable to all the young people who may be present, and one in which the older people are also considered. To make such an entertainment thoroughly successful, however, the greatest care must be taken in the selection of the musicians who are to play the dance music. It is not necessary to have many of them, but those chosen must be well prepared. Their selections must be new and gay, the time well accentuated, but not too much so, and all the pieces played with the right spirit for dancing. Each selection should last about twenty minutes, and then should come a rest of about ten minutes before the next one is begun.
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