Which popular dance of the 19th century was viewed as a moral threat due to its intimate nature?

The waltz was viewed as a moral threat in the 19th century primarily because of its close embrace and the way it brought couples into intimate physical proximity. This style of dance challenged the social norms of the time, which often emphasized formality and distance in social interactions, particularly between genders. At the time, many conservative groups believed that the waltz encouraged inappropriate behavior and undermined public decorum. The dance's sweeping movements and romantic associations contributed to concerns about its influence on young couples, making it a focal point in debates over morality in social dancing.

In contrast, the jitterbug, schottische, and square dancing did not provoke similar moral outrage during their respective periods. The jitterbug emerged later in the 20th century and was associated with youth culture and swing music. The schottische is a folk dance with less intimate positioning than the waltz, while square dancing is characterized by its group participation and patterned movements, which keep dancers at a greater distance from one another. Thus, the waltz stands out from these other styles due to the specific social context and concerns it evoked during the 19th century.