Book Description

In her strong defense of dance and its application to female physical education, Mrs. Webster declares that dancing as exercise "is the very best safeguard against the evils of over mental education." While she approves of calisthenics and various mechanical apparatus--including swings and pulleys and a "prone couch"--she delivers a stinging rebuke regarding the wearing of corsets. While Mrs. Webster recommends dance as an excellent remedial exercise, she insists that some parts of classical ballet are ill-designed for effecting good health due to their severity--in particular first and fifth positions. She also considers that dancing is beneficial to boys who, while they generally take more physical exercise than girls, rarely encounter "measured motion".