iness! There are lazy girls as well as
lazy men in the world, I have heard, and it is barely possible that
one or two might decide to take my courses sometime. If they do, our
required work will give them inspiration, as well as perspiration, and
enable them to overcome an inclination to indolence that they must
master if they hope to succeed as dancers--or in any other vocation.

Let me encourage you by saying, what I know to be true, that you will
harden yourself in a few days' time so that the muscles of your body
will pleasantly respond to your demands without crying out loud when
called upon. Just keep at it. Don't get discouraged because it
wearies you on the start. If you could see our advanced pupils going
through their routines, and how easily they perform the same simple
exercises you are required to do in the beginning, their muscles
ready, trained and responsive, and every motion of their bodies a
pleasure to them and a satisfaction after patient practice, you would
be encouraged and would be able to smile at the few temporary
discomforts of a few sore muscles. But do not be too ambitious and
work to the point of exhaustion.

[Illustration: NW]

[Illustration: PAULETTE DUVAL AND NED WAYBURN PUPILS, FOLLIES OF
1923]

NED WAYBURN STAGE DANCES

[Illustration]

I have already named the five basic types of stage dancing taught in
my courses. In this chapter I shall describe them in detail in such a
manner that anyone can distinguish them from one another.

No doubt when you have seen dances of the new type executed on the
theatrical stage you may have been unable in some cases to correctly
classify them. That is not at all surprising, since the classification
is my own, as well as some of the steps themselves.

You have realized that so-and-so did a pleasing, pretty and
complicated dance, but what it is called, or if it is called at all,
you are unable to state. All my dances have names and are properly
classified, and what these are and to what distinct type they belong
is going to be spread before you here and now.

First let us consider the type that I have named American Specialty
Dancing, the one that is more truly and distinctively American than
any other type of dancing to be seen on any stage today.

This classification comprises every variety of tap and step dancing,
and also what is commonly known as "Legmania," the latter including
the high-kicking features, where the leg will exec