VI
THE TANGO BRÉSILIENNE, OR MAXIXE—THE TWO STEP—LES À-CÔTE—THE SKATING STEP
The Maxixe Brésilienne is, up to the time of writing this, the latest modern dance. There is only one great question to be decided, and that is how do you pronounce the name. Should it be pronounced Maxeks, Maxesse, Mattcheche, or Mattchsche? I know how to do the dance, but the name I have not yet quite mastered. I only know that nearly all the South American pieces of music have "Tango Brésilien" written on them, and a few have the mystic word "Maxixe." The Brazilians themselves pronounce the word Mashish, with a slight accent in the second syllable.
But the dance, which is the main thing, is beautiful, and, like most beautiful dances, requires a considerable amount of grace. The steps themselves are not difficult; on the contrary, they are childishly simple; it is the easiest dance of all to do, and I think the hardest of all to do well. My advice to the beginner is to start by being
very conservative about it. Get the steps and
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