The American Belle and Summer Resort

(1903)

General Description

These dances are best described in the original words of Prof. J. Mark M'Donald, the Principal of the Knickerbocker School for Dancing in 1903:

By the invention of the "Summer Resort," [the International Association of Masters of Dancing] did much toward solving the annually recurring problem at summer hotels and boarding houses of the superfluous maiden and lacking men. For the "Summer Resort," which is nothing more or less than an open waltz or two-step, permits one man to dance with two girls, one on either side."

Another form invented specially for the young woman whose dances are in such request that she is at a loss to decide between the numerous applicants, is called the "American Belle," and is merely a reversal of the Summer Resort, the girl dancing in the middle and the fortunate men on either side of her.

The Position

The position is a modified skaters' position, with the center dancer crossing their arms in front of them, the outside dancers taking these crossed hands with their outside hands, and joining their inside hands in front of the center dancer.

Sources

J. Mark M'Donald (dance). (1903, June 23). "Four New Fashionable Dances." The Evening World (New York, NY).
A similar article appeared in many other papers at the time, but the one above provides the most complete description.

For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.

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