In Dances and Plays

420. Whether They Are Licit. Dances must be distinguished into gravely indecent dances and honorable, or only slightly indecent, dances. Gravely indecent dances are those which are undertaken by persons of different, or even of the same, sex with gravely obscene uncoverings or gestures or gravely immodest touches; honorable or slightly indecent dances are said to be those in which uncoverings, gestures, and touches occur only if honorable or only somewhat indecent.

But if the holy Fathers of the Church with one voice gravely reprehend and reprobate all dances, it must be noticed that the choreal games of that time were far different from those of our time, although also in our time dances are held which must be entirely reprobated. For forming a judgment concerning their liceity in practice, attention must be paid both to the kind of dances and to the character of the persons.

1. Gravely indecent dances are a proximate occasion of sinning that is morally universal; for the rarest person will be one who is not basely moved by things of this kind. Therefore they must be said to be gravely illicit, unless true necessity compels one to attend them.

2. Dances that are not gravely indecent commonly contain only a remote occasion of sinning; therefore it is not licit to frequent them without cause, but when a just cause exists it is licit to attend them, and this cause must be graver in proportion as the danger of sinning is greater.

a. Just causes from which it is licit to frequent dances of this kind are: custom; once or twice in a year for relaxing the mind; for more easily finding an occasion of marriage; for not displeasing a suitor; for satisfying those inviting one to dances, etc. A graver cause is the command of parents, fear of gravely offending a husband, parents, etc.

b. In order that the danger of sinning which the dances themselves present to those frequenting them can be judged, this must be noted: alpha. A general rule which can be applied everywhere cannot be established, but attention must be paid both to the custom of places and to the different character of persons. beta. In general public dances, especially those which are held among unmarried persons of different sex in taverns, contain much greater danger than those which are held in private houses. gamma. Some dances which in our time are very much in use do indeed contain greater danger because of the closer pressing of embraces which they require, but in general they cannot be said to be gravely indecent, and therefore not illicit of themselves because of a proximate occasion. delta. Great danger of sinning also exists, especially in the country, in going to dances and especially in returning from them.

3. Honorable dances, even among persons of different sex, are of themselves indifferent and therefore of themselves licit.

Dances are indeed indifferent of themselves, but as they are now held, they are never entirely immune from danger of sinning. The freer conversation between persons of different sex, the handling of hands, stirring musical harmonies, the excitation of the nerves from the use of alcoholic drink, the night time, etc., always contain some danger, at least slight; therefore dances of themselves are to be recommended to no one, indeed rather they are to be dissuaded from all.

4. Dances of masked persons are almost always to be reprobated as illicit; for they put on a mask so that they can do more freely what the restraint of shame would have hindered.

Note. 1. Although it cannot be affirmed that those who go to dances are ordinarily moved by an evil end, for often they attend merely for the sake of joy and recreation, nevertheless those who attend them with an evil intention of lust manifestly sin gravely by this very intention.

2. In a particular case it must above all be considered whether dances are for the penitent a proximate occasion of sinning. If they are not a proximate occasion for someone, as far as can be done he must be warned not to attend them; but the confessor cannot by his right demand that the penitent, under penalty of denial of absolution, promise that he will not go to them. If they are a proximate occasion for someone, he likewise cannot demand this promise when this twofold condition exists: namely, if the penitent is compelled by a grave cause to attend them, and if by suitable precautions he can and will make the proximate occasion remote. But if there were no necessity of attending them, the penitent who refused to avoid them could not be absolved.

Formal Cooperation with Evil Dances or Plays.—(a) Cases of formal cooperation on account of explicit intention to do harm are those of the originators of sinful dances and the writers of indecent plays. (b) Cases of formal cooperation on account of implicit intention to do harm are those of the managements that produce bad shows, organize bad dances, or make the arrangements or issue the invitations for these affairs.

Material Cooperation with Evil Dances or Plays.—Material cooperation is lawful, if the cooperation is not itself intrinsically wrong, and if there is a sufficient reason for permitting it.

(a) Cases of immediate material cooperation are those of players and dancers who have harmless parts in the performance. A very grave reason, such as avoidance of penury, is considered as sufficient excuse here, at least for a time.

(b) Cases of proximate material cooperation are those of musicians or singers, who do not perform lascivious music; of spectators, who show no approval of the evil that is done; of those who buy tickets but do not attend. A more serious reason is required in the musician at the dance than in the musician at the play, for the former directs the dance, while the latter only accompanies the play. Likewise, a more serious reason is required when one attends often, or when one’s patronage is essential to the success of the occasion, than when one attends only rarely, or when the play or dance does not depend on one’s presence or patronage.

(c) Cases of remote material cooperation are those of the owners who rent their theatres or dance-halls or cabarets, of ushers, guards, box-office employees, stage hands, etc. It is held that profit is a sufficient reason to justify the owners in renting their places, if the theatrical company or dance management can readily find other places in case they are sent away. The ushers, guards, and the like are excused, if they cannot easily find other employment; but this does not justify gazing on immodest spectacles or laughing at or applauding obscene jokes.