1913 and 1914 were years of scandal, freedom, rising prosperity,
change and the suffragettes. The change of the years saw the rise of a fashion
which divided the nation- The Tango.
In October 1913, the primate of the Anglican church in
Sydney preached a fiery sermon at St Andrew's Cathedral against the dance and
its associated fashions. He denounced it as a symptom of a decadent
civilisation. But his denunciations didn't prevent the arrival of the tango and
its split to the knee dresses to Sydney.
In January 1914, Sydney Carlton, performed the dance as part
of a revue called 'The Dandies' in the not so decent playhouse, Eden Gardens in
Manly. The show was so popular that it led to the development of the famous
Tivoli tango teas, which featured American import Josephine Davis.
Miss Davis was a respectable young lady, and although a
tango lover and dancer made it very clear that she was in no way supportive of
the suffragettes. She took pains to tell the press of all the highly regarded
people in the US who were dancing the tango. These included several
Vanderbilts and a couple of Astors. She
also ensured that she was in no way associated with Mrs Pankhurst and her
unwomanly pursuits.
The women of Melbourne were scandalised by the arrival of
the tango in Australia. Mrs Shiel of the Australasian women's conference, told
her audience that the fashions were indecorous. She was appalled at the number
of women in Melbourne wearing skirts split to the knee and the 'disgraceful sights
' being seen in St Kilda.
All this controversy fuelled the imaginations of astute
theatrical entrepreneurs who hastened to
capitalise upon it. The Tivoli tango teas were part fashion parade and part
dance. William Anderson soon followed suit and incorporated the tango into his
Easter pantomime Aladdin, which featured the lovely and also somewhat
scandalous Carrie Moore. Aladdin toured New Zealand shortly afterwards and the
company brought the tango with them to that country.
Despite the hype, it seems that many young gentlemen who
attended the tango teas were disappointed. They were quite tame affairs, and a
brief glimpse of a feminine ankle was the most salacious sight they saw at the
show.
* Tango postcard from my collection- Check it out on flickr...