THE MELTING POT OF THE DANCE
A GREAT deal is being talked and written about changing the millions who have come to this country from foreign lands, or are the children of immigrants, into 100 per cent Americans. So far as the advocacy of measures for this purpose is based on a sincere desire to bring home to everyone living under the national flag a knowledge of the essential principles of our government and institutions, this is worthy of the encouragement and aid of all patriotic citizens. There is, however, another aspect of the Americanization movement, that is not so admirable. This is the attack on ideas, manners, customs and amusements peculiar to certain foreign peoples, not because they are necessarily wrong, or antagonistic to genuine Americanism, but merely because they are different. According to some of these self-constituted authorities the way to instill patriotism and love of country into the benighted aliens is to persuade them to abandon all that links them with the land of their ancestors, and become exactly like the prevailing type of Bangor, Maine, Augusta, Georgia, or Portland, Oregon.
Oliver Wendell Holmes tells how when he was a boy living in Cambridge, Mass., there was a constant warfare between the boys of his district and those who lived down by the water front, who were regarded as foreigners, because they seemed to be in some way different. He concluded that most of the racial antagonisms and hatreds that so often lead to quarrels and war are due to the same notion; that the foreign man is inferior because his ways are different from ours.
Against the narrow ideas that would reject many things of great value because they are of foreign origin, there is need for a wise and discriminating selection of the best that all regions of the earth have to offer in the domain of science, literature, music, painting, the dance, and other arts, and their combination with the results attained by American creative effort.
In no respect is there a more urgent need for the development of a truly American art spirit than in the wide field offered by artistic dancing, yet it would surely be a mistake to ignore all that has been learned and accomplished in the long experience of other peoples. A foolish prejudice against foreign dances should not be allowed to prevent the incorporation of their best features into what will ultimately be the distinctive American school.
That there assuredly will be an essentially American type of dancing in all its branches, that will reach heights far above that yet achieved by any other country, cannot be doubtful. As the increase of wealth, not only for a few, but for the great mass of the people, gives more leisure, creates new desires, and brings increased capacity for enjoyment, it is inevitable that more and more will the public appreciation of the dance call for still greater advances. As the various races from other lands have mingled their several qualities and gifts, and have produced the highest civilization on a broad scale that the world has ever seen, so will the creators of new and more beautiful dance forms utilize the characteristic dances of all nations in achieving what will be the 100 per cent American dance.