For the purposes of this youtube video of Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisses in Silk Stockings, Chesterton’s sentence might be paraphrased as follows: All real life is an attempt at harmony and a high swing of rhythm; and if we were only real enough we should all dance our way through life. (The original English-only video on youtube is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Warner Bros. The above link takes you to the same video, but with a Russian voice-over during the opening dialogue between Astaire and Charisse. Fortunately, once the dancing starts—just over one minute in—the Russian translation ceases.) If this dance routine doesn’t suit you, here are some others to consider:

West Coast Swing

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1936 film, Swing Time

Climax from the 1992 film, Strictly Ballroom (One of the most successful Australian films ever, this romantic/comedy was a big hit at the Cannes Film Festival. “To thine own self be true,” is the theme of any number of movies, but in this case the staleness of the message is offset by the inspired use of melodrama. Click HERE for the plot.)