DANCING DERBY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 430, 11 August 1928, Page 16

DANCING DERBY

NEW WORLD RECORD WEARY 304-HOURS’ SHUFFLE The last world’s record for endurance dancing was broken in New York recently under the slowly shuffling feet of the 12 surviving dancing couples who still held out in the Madison Square Garden derby. The new record was established with the 304th hour of dancing at 2 p.m., and was celebrated by the more active with short dancing sprints, while spectators applauded. But even the passing of the mark, made in Pittsburgh, failed to bring with it any sign of a quick end to the dance derby. In the 48 hours prior to the passing of the record mark, only one couple Mae Farland, of New York, and Edward J. McGovern, of Pittsburgh, had left the slowly diminishing lists. There was a crowd of approximately 8,000 persons, the largest since the dance marathon has opened, watching the dancers in

their circuit of the floor. During the day and night there were about 18,000 admissions. As was the case with Mr. Tennyson’s brook, indications are that some of the remaining dancers will go on for ever. And if they do, it will be with the blessings of Milton D. Crandall, the promoter from Pittsburgh, whose finances are only now recovering from the hath of red ink given when the New York public at first refused to care whether the dance went on or not. There is little chance that the marathon will be stopped by the Health Department. The dancers seem healthy and Commissioner Harris declares himself averse to “infringe on personal liberty in a liberal State.” “It is the prerogative of any person to indulge in whatsoever folly he pleases,” Dr. Harris said. “The Department of Health is studying the marathon ti determine whether or not it will inflict harm to the contestants later. It we have medical evidence that it is harmful we shall take action to prohibit such performances in the future.”