The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

9° ATHLETIC SPORTS OF SCOTLAND. CHAPTER IX. DANCING. TRANCING, the least importantof all the events in the pro­ gramme of a Scottish gathering in the eyesof an athlete, is undoubtedly the most attractive to a considerable part of the spectators. While the masculine part of the crowdaround the ring arewatching with the keenest interest, andcommenting on the probable result of, the hammer-throwing or a race, the feminine portion are all ears and eyes for the musicand dancing. UNSATISFACTORY JUDGING .—When we come to dancing we come to what can no longer be decided by eyesight or the measuring tape, but partly by fancy or individual taste. Many people are of opinion that judging dancing is a question of individual taste entirely, and that it is impossible to decide definitely that onedancer is better than another, unless thereis a great difference of merit. They point to the decisions of different judges atdifferent gatherings,whose decisions with the same dancers before them differ so widely, the dancer who is first at one gatheringfor a particular dance not getting aprize at another gathering against the same competitors. But the difference of opinion is almost entirely dueto the fact that at most gatherings the judges are appointed not for their fitness, but on account of their socialposition, their contributionsto the prize fund,or the favour of the Committeeof Management. It is not enough for a judge of dancing to say that he gave his decision honestly according to his own judgment. He mustbe able to explain in what particular points the first prize dancer was superior to the others, and to point out the defects in the dancing of the others. Unless ladies and gentlemen who are called on to judge dancing can do this they have no right to undertake the duties. It is no light matter for a first-class dancer to come from, say Edinburgh or Glasgow, to Inverness,