The "Gaby Glide dance" was created for Gaby Deslys (1881-1920) and Harry Pilcer (1885-1961). Ned Wayburn (1884-1942) choreographed the Gaby Glide for Deslys and Pilcer for the play "Vera Violetta" in 1911. (see photo) Glides were combinations of normal period dances and there were hundreds of them such as the Sea Sick Glide, Gilda Glide, Aeroplane Glide to name but a few. But most didn't become that popular with the dancing public and if they did only briefly, however the Aeroplane Glide, Gilda Glide and the Gaby Glide were one of the few that did and many people tried to create new glides over the years.
The main character of the Glide was the lady being positioned in front of the man with her back to him slightly offset which created the gliding effect (see pic). For a while when it first appeared, this dance was lumped together with the Turkey Trot, Grizzly Bear,
Bunny Hug etc. However it was not what they called then a 'Hugging' or 'Vulgar dance' that many so loathed due to the position of the dancers to each other. Deslys is also credited for introducing the first "Striptease" number in a Broadway musical.
