,library of ,congress7                  
,illustration       ,,the ,,fascinating 
,,boston    ,how to ,dance and ,how to  
,teach the   ,popular ,new ,social      
,favorite    ,by   ,,alfonso ,,josephs  
,,sheafe   ,master of ,dancing          
,translator and ,editor of   ,zorn's    
,grammar of the ,art of ,dancing        
,boston1 ,mass4   ,,the ,,boston ,,music
 ,,company   ,new ,york3 ,g4 ,schirmer1 
,incorporated    ,copyright1 #aiac1 by  
,,the ,,boston ,,music ,,co4   ,for all 
countries     ,b4 ,m4 ,co4 #ccff        
,table of ,contents                     
,page  ,,foreword                       
#a  ,,the ,,boston   ,,the ,,fundamental
 ,,positions         #e   ,,the         
,,position ,,of ,,the ,,partners      #h
   ,,the ,,step ,,of ,,the ,,boston     
#ab   ,,the ,,long ,,boston             
#bb   ,,the ,,short ,,boston            
#bc   ,,the ,,open ,,boston             
#bd   ,,the ,,boston ,,dip              
#be  ,,the ,,turkey ,,trot              
#bg  ,,the ,,aeroplane ,,glide          

#bh  ,,the ,,tango                      
#bi     ,,the ,,fascinating ,,boston    
,,foreword   ,since the introduction of 
the waltz1 more than a hundred years    
ago1 it has held the first place in the 
esteem of dancers throughout the        
civilized world4 ,there has appeared1   
however1 a new claimant for the         
place--one that possesses all the       
qualities that go to make a social      
favorite1 and has the additional        
advantages of greater ease of execution1
 and wider possibilities of adaptation4 
,this is the ,,boston--not1 as many     
persons suppose1 a new creation nor     
indeed is it a novelty even to the      
,american public1 for it was introduced 
here more than a generation ago2 but the
 great popularity of the ,two-,step1    
which had just then come into vogue1 and
 was fast gaining favor under the       
influence of such brilliant compositions
 as the quick-step marches by ,sousa1   
operated against its immediate          
acceptance4  ,one of the reasons why the

 ,boston should prove today a more      
attractive dance than any other1 is the 
fact that now there are more captivating
 airs written for this particular form  
of dance than for any other1 and as the 
,two-,step1 in its time1 found its most 
powerful ally in the music to which it  
was adapted1 the ,boston has today the  
persuasive intercession of such         
languorous and haunting melodies as     
,love's ,awakening and ,on the ,wings of
 ,dream1 by ,danglas2 ,sinibaldi's      
,thrill1 and others4  ,general taste has
 gradually found out the superior charm 
of the ,boston2 the pendulum of public  
favor has again swung in the direction  
of skilful dancing4  ,the recent revival
 of the ,waltz in its proper form1 has  
brought with it a larger appreciation of
 the more worthy and graceful social    
dances1 and the entire world now        
recognizes the wonderful beauty of the  
,boston1 and has welcomed it as a real  
competitor4  ,the ,boston is not a      
,waltz1 yet it is the perfection of it4 

,it is one of those paradoxical things  
which1 while it is impossible to be     
classified1 contains all that is to be  
found in almost any other dance4 ,even  
the persons who have so long and so     
loyally clung to other forms of dancing1
 and have abated none in their zeal for 
their favorites1 have been              
unconsciously1 and perhaps unwillingly1 
charmed by the seductiveness of the     
,boston1 until they now freely declare  
the new dance to be the superior of the 
,waltz4 ,therefore it is safe to say    
that the ,boston will1 eventually1      
supersede the ,waltz altogether4  ,we   
demand a dance which combines ease of   
execution with attractive movement4     
,that is just what the ,boston does1 and
 perhaps more4 ,it is so simple in      
construction that1 when acquired1 it    
becomes natural1 and its perfect        
adaptability assures it lasting         
popularity4  ,owing to the urgent       
request of many of his pupils and       
colleagues1 the author has undertaken   

this little book in the hope that it    
will meet the requirements of both      
teachers and students1 and help to      
assure the proper appreciation of what  
is in reality the most delightful and   
artistic social dance since the ,minuet4
   ,,the ,,five ,,fundamental           
,,positions  ,in order that the reader  
may the more readily understand the     
descriptions given in this book1 we will
 explain the five fundamental positions 
upon which the art of dancing rests4    
,in the #ast position1 the feet are     
together1 heel against heel4            
,illustration  ,in the #bnd position1   
the heels are separated sidewise1 and on
 the same line4    ,illustration  ,in   
the #crd position1 the heel of one foot 
touches the middle of the other4        
,illustration  ,in the #dth position1   
the feet are separated as in walking1   
either directly forward or directly     
backward4    ,illustration  ,in the #eth
 position1 the heel of one foot touches 
the point of the other4    ,illustration

  ,in all these positions the feet must 
be turned outward to form not less than 
a right angle4   ,,the ,,positions ,,of 
,,the ,,partners  ,much1 if not all1 of 
the adverse criticism of the ,boston    
which has been offered by educators1    
parents and other responsible objectors1
 has been directed at the relative      
positions of the partners4 ,this is1 in 
fact1 no more than the general rule as  
regards the ,social ,round ,dance1 with 
the possible exception that the         
positions have been sometimes distorted 
by attempts to copy the freer forms of  
dancing that have been presented upon   
the stage4  ,the ,round ,dance demands  
that a certain fixed grouping of the    
partners be maintained in order that the
 rotation around a common moving centre 
may be accomplished1 and it is here that
 the most serious problem is to be      
found4  ,the dancing profession long ago
 undertook to settle upon arbitrary     
groupings satisfactory to the needs of  
the dancers1 and conforming to all the  

requirements of propriety and hygienic  
exercise4    ,illustration  ,acting upon
 this basis1 the reputable teachers of  
dancing throughout the world have       
adopted and promulgated three           
fundamental groupings for the ,round    
,dance which are so constructed as to   
provide the greatest ease of execution  
and freedom of action4 ,they are known  
as the ,waltz ,position1 the ,open      
,position1 and the ,side ,position of   
the ,waltz4 ,all round dances are       
executed in one or another of these     
groupings1 which are not only accepted  
by all good teachers1 but1 with the     
exception of certain minor and          
unimportant variations1 rigidly adhered 
to in all their work4  ,in the ,waltz   
,position the partners stand facing one 
another1 with shoulders parallel1 and   
looking over one another's right        
shoulder4 ,special attention must be    
paid to the parallel position of the    
shoulders1 in order to fit the          
individual movements of the partners    

along the line of direction4  ,the      
gentleman places his right hand lightly 
upon the lady's back1 at a point about  
half-way across1 between the waist-line 
and the shoulder-blades4 ,the fingers   
are so rounded as to permit the free    
circulation of air between the palm of  
the hand and the lady's back1 and should
 not be spread4  ,the lady places her   
left hand lightly upon the gentleman's  
arm1 allowing her fore-arm to rest      
gently upon his arm4 ,the partners stand
 at an easy distance from one another1  
inclining toward the common centre very 
slightly4 ,the free hands are lightly   
joined at the side4 ,this is merely to  
provide occupation for the disengaged   
arms1 and the gentleman holds the tip of
 the lady's hand lightly in the bended  
fingers of his own4 ,guiding is         
accomplished by the gentleman through a 
slight lifting of his right elbow4      
,illustration   ,,the ,,open ,,position 
,the ,open ,position needs no           
explanation1 and can be readily         

understood from the illustration facing 
page #h4   ,,the ,,side ,,position ,,of 
,,the ,,waltz  ,the side position of the
 ,waltz differs from the ,waltz         
,position only in the fact that the     
partners stand side by side and with the
 engaged arms more widely extended4 ,the
 free arms are held as in the           
frontispiece4 ,in the actual rotation   
this position naturally resolves itself 
into the regular ,waltz ,position4      
,,the ,,step ,,of ,,the ,,boston  ,the  
preparatory step of the ,boston differs 
materially from that of any other       
,social ,dance4 ,there is only one      
position of the feet in the ,boston--the
 #dth4 ,that is to say1 the feet are    
separated one from the other as in      
walking4  ,on the first count of the    
measure the whole leg swings freely1 and
 as a unit1 from the hip1 and the foot  
is put down practically flat upon the   
floor1 where it immediately receives the
 entire weight of the body              
perpendicularly4 ,the weight is held    

entirely upon this foot during the      
remainder of the measure1 whether it be 
in #c_/d or #b_/d time4  ,the following 
preparatory exercises must be practiced 
forward and backward until the movements
 become natural1 before proceeding4  ,in
 going backward1 the foot must be       
carried to the rear as far as possible1 
and the weight must always be           
perpendicular to the supporting foot4   
,these movements are identical with     
walking1 and except the particular care 
which must be bestowed upon the placing 
of the foot on the first count of the   
measure1 they require no special degree 
of attention4  ,on the second count the 
free leg swings forward until the knee  
has become entirely straightened1 and is
 held1 suspended1 during the third count
 of the measure4 ,this should be        
practiced1 first with the weight resting
 upon the entire sole of the supporting 
foot1 and then1 when this has been      
perfectly accomplished1 the same        
exercise may be supplemented by raising 

the heel 7of the supporting foot7 on the
 second count and lowering it on the    
third count4 ,great care must be taken  
not to divide the weight4  ,for the     
purpose of instruction1 it is well to   
practice these steps to ,mazurka music1 
because of the clearness of the count4  
,illustration  ,when the foregoing      
exercises have been so fully mastered as
 to become1 in a sense1 muscular habits1
 we may1 with safety1 add the next      
feature4 ,this consists in touching the 
floor with the point of the free foot1  
at a point as far forward or backward as
 can be done without dividing the       
weight1 on the second count of the      
measure4 ,thus1 we have accomplished1 as
 it were1 an interrupted1 or1 at least1 
an arrested step1 and this is the true  
essence of the ,boston4  ,too great care
 cannot be expended upon this phase of  
the step1 and it must be practiced over 
and over again1 both forward and        
backward1 until the movement has become 
second nature4 ,all this must precede   

any attempt to turn4  ,the turning of   
the ,boston is simplicity itself1 but it
 is1 nevertheless1 the one point in the 
instruction which is most bothersome to 
learners4 ,the turn is executed upon the
 ball of the supporting foot1 and       
consists in twisting half round without 
lifting either foot from the ground4 ,in
 this1 the weight is held altogether    
upon the supporting foot1 and there is  
no crossing4  ,in carrying the foot     
forward for the second movement1 the    
knees must pass close to one another1   
and care must be taken that the entire  
half turn comes upon the last count of  
the measure4  ,to sum up3--  ,starting  
with the weight upon the left foot1 step
 forward1 placing the entire weight upon
 the right foot1 as in the illustration 
facing page #ad 7count #a72 swing left  
leg quickly forward1 straightening the  
left knee and raising the right heel1   
and touch the floor with the extended   
left foot as in the illustration facing 
page #af1 but without placing any weight

 upon that foot 7count #b72 execute a   
half-turn to the left1 backward1 upon   
the ball of the supporting 7right7 foot1
 at the same time lowering the right    
heel1 and finish as in the illustration 
opposite page #ah 7count #c74      ,one 
measure4    ,illustration  ,starting    
again1 this time with the weight wholly 
upon the right foot1 and with the left  
leg extended backward1 and the point of 
the left foot lightly touching the      
floor1 step backward1 throwing the      
weight entirely upon the left foot which
 sinks to a position flat upon the      
floor1 as shown in the illustration     
facing page #ba1 7count #d72 carry the  
right foot quickly backward1 and touch  
with the point as far back as possible  
upon the line of direction without      
dividing the weight1 at the same time   
raising the left heel as in the         
illustration facing page #bb1 7count    
#e72 and complete the rotation by       
executing a half-turn to the right1     
forward1 upon the ball of the left foot1

 simultaneously lowering the left heel1 
and finishing as in the illustration    
facing page #bd1 7count #f74   ,,the    
,,reverse  ,the reverse of the step     
should be acquired at the same time as  
the rotation to the right1 and it is1   
therefore1 of great importance to       
alternate from the right to the left    
rotation from the beginning of the      
turning exercise4 ,the reverse itself1  
that is to say1 the act of alternating  
is effected in a single measure without 
turning 7see preparatory exercise1 page 
#ac7 which may be taken backward by the 
gentleman and forward by the lady1      
whenever they have completed a whole    
turn4  ,the mechanism of the reverse    
turn is exactly the same as that of the 
turn to the right1 except that it is    
accomplished with the other foot1 and in
 the opposite direction4  ,there is no  
better or more efficacious exercise to  
perfect the ,boston1 than that which is 
made up of one complete turn to the     
right1 a measure to reverse1 and a      

complete turn to the left4 ,this should 
be practised until one has entirely     
mastered the motion and rhythm of the   
dance4 ,the writer has used this        
exercise in all his work1 and finds it  
not only helpful and interesting to the 
pupil1 but of special advantage in      
obviating the possibility of dizziness1 
and the consequent unpleasantness and   
loss of time4    ,illustration  ,after  
acquiring a degree of ease in the       
execution of these movements to ,mazurka
 music1 it is advisable to vary the     
rhythm by the introduction of ,spanish  
or other clearly accented ,waltz music1 
before using the more liquid            
compositions of ,strauss or such modern 
song waltzes as those of ,danglas1      
,sinibaldi1 etc4  ,it is one of the     
remarkable features of the ,boston that 
the weight is always opposite the line  
of direction--that is to say1 in going  
forward1 the weight is retained upon the
 rear foot1 and in going backward1 the  
weight is always upon the front foot    

7direction always radiates from the     
dancer74 ,thus1 in proceeding around the
 room1 the weight must always be held   
back1 instead of inclining slightly     
forward as in the other round dances4   
,this seeming contradiction of forces   
lends to the ,boston a unique charm     
which is to be found in no other dance4 
,as the dancer becomes more familiar    
with the ,boston1 the movement becomes  
so natural that little or no thought    
need be paid to technique1 in order to  
develop the peculiar grace of it4  ,the 
fact of its being a dance altogether in 
one position calls for greater skill in 
the execution of the ,boston1 than would
 be the case if there were other changes
 and contrasts possible1 just as it is  
more difficult to play a melody upon a  
violin of only one string4  ,the        
,boston1 in its completed form1 resolves
 itself into a sort of walking movement1
 so natural and easy that it may be     
enjoyed for a whole evening without more
 fatigue than would be the result of a  

single hour of the ,waltz and           
,two-,step4  ,aside from the            
attractiveness of the ,boston as a      
social dance1 its physical benefits are 
more positive than those of any other   
,round ,dance that we have ever had4    
,the action is so adjusted as to provide
 the maximum of muscular exercise and   
the minimum of physical effort4 ,this   
tends towards the conservation of       
energy1 and produces and maintains1 at  
the same time an evenness of blood      
pressure and circulation4 ,the movements
 also necessitate a constant exercise of
 the ankles and insteps which is very   
strengthening to those parts1 and cannot
 fail to raise and support the arch of  
the foot4  ,taken from any standpoint1  
the ,boston is one of the most worthy   
forms of the social dance ever devised1 
and the distortions of position which   
are now occasionally practiced must soon
 give way to the genuinely refining     
influence of the action4                
,illustration  ,of the various forms of 

the ,boston1 there is little to be said 
beyond the description of the manner of 
their execution1 which will be treated  
in the following pages4  ,it is hoped   
that this book will help toward a more  
complete understanding of the beauties  
and attractions of the ,boston1 and     
further the proper appreciation of it4  
,all descriptions of dances given in    
this book relate to the lady's part4    
,the gentleman's is exactly the same1   
but in the countermotion4   ,,the ,,long
 ,,boston  ,the ordinary form of the    
,boston as described in the foregoing   
pages is commonly known as the ,long    
,boston to distinguish it from other    
forms and variations4 ,it is danced in  
#c_/d time1 either ,waltz or ,mazurka1  
and at any tempo desired4 ,as this is   
the fundamental form of the ,boston1 it 
should be thoroughly acquired before    
undertaking any other4    ,illustration 
,,the ,,short ,,boston  ,the ,short     
,boston differs from the ,long ,boston  
only in measure4 ,it is danced in either

 #b_/d or #f_/h time1 and the first     
movement 7in #b_/d time7 occupies the   
duration of a quarter-note4 ,the second 
and third movements each occupy the     
duration of an eighth-note4 ,thus1 there
 exists between the ,long and the ,short
 ,boston the same difference as between 
the ,waltz and the ,galop4 ,in the more 
rapid forms of the ,short ,boston1 the  
rising and sinking upon the second and  
third movements naturally take the form 
of a hop or skip4 ,the dance is more    
enjoyable and less fatiguing in moderate
 tempo4   ,,the ,,open ,,boston  ,the   
,open ,boston contains two parts of     
eight measures each4 ,the first part is 
danced in the positions shown in the    
illustrations facing pages #h and #aj1  
and the second part consists of #h      
measures of the ,long ,boston4  ,in the 
first part1 the dancers execute three   
,boston steps forward1 without turning1 
and one ,boston step turning 7towards   
the partner7 to face directly backward  
7#a_/b turn74      #d measures4  ,this  

is followed by three ,boston steps      
backward 7without turning7 in the       
position shown in the illustration      
facing page #aj1 followed by one ,boston
 step turning 7toward the partner7 and  
finishing in regular ,waltz ,position   
for the execution of the second part4   
,illustration   ,,the ,,boston ,,dip    
,the ,dip is a combination dance in     
#c_/d or #c_/h time1 and contains #d    
measures of the ,long ,boston1 preceded 
by #d measures1 as follows3  ,standing  
upon the left foot1 step directly to the
 side1 and transfer the weight to the   
right foot 7count #a72 swing the left   
leg to the right in front of the right1 
at the same time raising the right heel 
7count #b72 lower the right heel 7count 
#c72 return the left foot to its        
original place where it receives the    
weight 7count #d72 swing the right leg  
across in front of the left1 raising the
 left heel 7count #e72 and lower the    
left heel 7count #f74      #b measures4 
,swing the right foot to the right1 and 

put it down directly at the side of the 
left 7count #a72 hop on the right foot  
and swing the left across in front      
7count #b72 fall back upon the right    
foot 7count #c72 put down the left foot1
 crossing in front of the right1 and    
transfer weight to it 7count #d72 with  
right foot step a whole step to the     
right 7count #e72 and finish by bringing
 the left foot against the right1 where 
it receives the weight 7count #f74      
#b measures4  ,in executing the hop upon
 counts #b and #c of the third measure1 
the movement must be so far delayed that
 the falling back will exactly coincide 
with the third count of the music4      
,illustration     ,,the ,,turkey ,,trot 
,preparation3--,side ,position of the   
,waltz4   ,during the first four        
measures take four ,boston steps without
 turning 7lady forward1 gentleman       
backward71 and bending the supporting   
knee1 stretch the free foot backward1   
7lady's left1 gentleman's right7 as     
shown in the illustration opposite4     

#d meas4  ,repeat in opposite direction4
      #d meas4  ,execute four drawing   
steps to the side 7lady's right1        
gentleman's left7 swaying the shoulders 
and body in the direction of the drawn  
foot1 and pointing with the free foot   
upon the fourth1 as shown in figure4 #d 
meas4  ,repeat in opposite direction4   
#d meas4  ,eight whole turns1 ,short    
,boston or ,two-,step4      #af meas4   
,repeat at will4        99       99     
99       99       99    ,a splendid     
specimen for this dance will be found in
 ,the ,gobbler by   ,j4 ,monroe4        
,,the ,,aeroplane ,,glide   ,the        
,aeroplane ,glide is very similar to the
 ,boston ,dip4 ,it is supposed to       
represent the start of the flight of an 
aeroplane1 and derives its name from    
that fact4  ,the sole difference between
 the ,dip and ,aeroplane consists in the
 six running steps which make up the    
first two measures4 ,of these running   
steps1 which are executed sidewise and  
with alternate crossings1 before and    

behind1 only the fourth1 at the         
beginning of the second measure requires
 special description4 ,upon this step1  
the supporting knee is noticeably bended
 to coincide with the accent of the     
music4  ,the rest of the dance is       
identical with the ,dip4 7,see page     
#be47    ,illustration     ,,the ,,tango
   ,the ,tango is a ,spanish ,american  
dance which contains much of the        
peculiar charm of the other ,spanish    
dances1 and its execution depends       
largely upon the ability of the dancers 
so to grasp the rhythm of the music as  
to interpret it by their movements4 ,the
 steps are all simple1 and the dancers  
are permitted to vary or improvise the  
figures at will4  ,of these figures the 
two which follow are most common1 and   
lend themselves most readily to verbal  
description4   ,,tango ,no4 #a  ,the    
partners face one another as in ,waltz  
,position4 ,the gentleman takes the     
lady's right hand in his left1 and1     
stretching the arms to the full extent1 

holding them at the shoulder height1 he 
places her right hand upon his left     
shoulder1 and holds it there1 as in the 
illustration opposite page #cj4  ,in    
starting1 the gentleman throws his right
 shoulder slightly back and steps       
directly backward with his left foot1   
while the lady follows forward with her 
right4 ,in this manner both continue two
 steps1 crossing one foot over the other
 and then execute a half-turn in the    
same direction4 ,this is followed by    
four measures of the ,two-,step and the 
whole is repeated at will4      #h      
measures4    ,illustration   ,,tango    
,no4 #b  ,this variant starts from the  
same position as ,tango ,no4 #a4 ,the   
gentleman takes two steps backward with 
the lady following forward1 and then two
 steps to the side 7the lady's right and
 the gentleman's left7 and two steps in 
the opposite direction to the original  
position4 #h measures4  ,these steps to 
the side should be marked by the swaying
 of the bodies as the feet are drawn    

together on the second count of the     
measure1 and the whole is followed by #h
 measures of the ,two-,step4 ,repeat all
 as desired4     ,,ideal ,,music ,,for  
,,the ,,boston   ,,piano ,,solo  7,also 
to be had for ,full or ,small           
,orchestra7  ,,love',s ,,awakening      
,j4 ,danglas        4#fj ,,on ,,the     
,,wings ,,of ,,dream      ,j4 ,danglas  
4#fj ,,frisson 7,thrill67          ,s4  
,sinibaldi      4#ej ,,love',s ,,triumph
             ,a4 ,daniele        4#fj   
,,doucement                  ,g4 ,robert
         4#fj ,,viennoise               
,a4 ,duval          4#fj  ,these        
selected numbers have attained success1 
not alone for their attractions of      
melody and rich harmony1 but for their  
rhythmical flexibility and perfect      
adaptedness to the ,boston4   ,,for     
,,the ,,turkey ,,trot  ,especially      
recommended  ,,the ,,gobbler            
,j4 ,monroe         4#ej   ,any of the  
foregoing compositions will be supplied 
on receipt of one-half the list price4  

,postage two cents extra for each copy4 
,,published ,,by  ,,the ,,boston ,,music
 ,,company #bf  #bh ,,west ,,st41       
,,boston1 ,,mass4     ,,transcriber',s  
,,notes3     ,text in italics is        
surrounded with underscores3 italics4   
,punctuation has been corrected without 
note4    ,obvious typographical errors  
have been corrected as follows3         
,page  #h3 duplicate word the removed   
,page #bc3 duplicate word and removed