The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-07
THE WEEKS FESTIVITIES.
Preparations for the Eih- and Iiederhrnnz
Balls Profess Dancers.


BnIis-rrot.- stunnI Dancers
This week il one Of tho busiest and most
prolific Of entertainment in the ycar In ndd-
ton to the presentation Of two new pays-thc
Danchcff'' in the Union Square Theatre. and
" Fifth Avenue" in Booths Theatre-two nota-
BILE balls are to ba given on Thursday night
Totally different in character and development.
the Liedcrkranz and Elks balls are tho most
popular gatherings of tho season. 10 which
tickets are sought with zcst. The Elks ball will
he given in Irving Hall on Thursday evening,
its profits to bc devoted 10 charity in aid Of
members Of tho dramatic profession. This
year the ball will be like the great Charity ball.
mainly devoted to dancing and supper. No
special features will be- added. but as sales Of
tickets are unusually large. and to people in
whom the public are Interested 1t is probable
the occasion will be- as Jolly as usual
The Liedcrkranz ball will los managed some
what differently from heretofore. Instead OF
wasting money. time. and patience in prcpar-
ing. organizing. and manipulating grand pro-
cesson in honor of Prince Carnival. tho dane
ing programme will be begun earlier than
usual. and between the dances specialists will
disport in tcrpsichorcan and gymnastic acts.
This. II is hoped. will be- more ENJOYABLE than
the cumbersome and unwicldy marches Of
other years. The innovation IL an importation
from Paris. whore many OF the dancers are
professors who are specially engaged " to lead
and exhilarate the public" These dancers are
both male and female. but by far the larger
number Oi them are males. Tnrir real names
are inscribed on the book oi the secr'i3try oi
the opera balls. although to the public they are
known only by "a n0i.t de gneJre. AMI firstly
amun!s these prof Ssrd dan 'rrs como tIe mem
beers OF three - ia tit~, 'trh huN ing its prsl-
dent, It's committee, and its r.r' tary. in the or
Il nary and orthodox style. Tue So'ictd de In
ties ri dancers, consisting Of iitecn MEMBERS
all picked men, VINO Mre worry ccleDratd at tne
leading PARIS balls. Then come the ChcNalicrs
de Ia Tune. Oulst ng OF thirty memh RS: aud
La Jcun $50 Plris,cnn'. having sixty mem
bcrs. Most Of these young men are engaged IN
conmcf,la pursu n ui''y are lovers 81 pl'"S.
nrr and fanatc Oi tho dance. but they have out
Of their modest IN comes no money to spare Tor
the very heavy expenses att"n iant ON II bdi
ntdsQue at the opera. Ihcy are CIT oil good
iarlly, and Will accept no pay. but the sccrc-
ttry oil n them "a Tree pass, a costume, ana
tribe Tor refreshments. ant they SIT the ball go-
Ing with a vengcan -. There are also others
VINO. although not belonging to any society, yet,
" IN consequent OF tao originality OF their
style OF dancing. have the right OF entry TO
the balls. Their true names are on the books.
but tn the public they ar" known 10y nick name
and 10y their costumes. The prOicsscd female
dan rrs are usually ballet girls from the thea
tres or minor a'trrss's. and altogether there
are no less tAan 49, prof ss"d dan 'crs nt buth
Nrs ON the Tree list Ut Inc op 'rit balls II these
pcoplc were not admitted the bal would certain
" prove failure. The ord nary member oi ths
puhrc comes 10 the ball merely as a 50 'ctator.
and SITS IN one of the boxes above to view the
iuu below. Others mingle in the thrpnS. but
few of the public ar" really gOoi dan 'rrS. VI
the women there IL usually enough ana t. spare.
The poor shop girls amt others save w tur|r
spare cash for weeks 10 pay the price OF ulinis-
son and To- provide Tor the costume OF the rtHr-
nal ttsbdrtietir. Many Ol them ONE ia the hups
OF hHViu.sh riutuus Ian and a good supper. aud
~ attru tiuse " io are NN'iy t0 stand treat Tor
the latter they trOt out the an ient luNcs puiIS,
ana rrpart"''r Whirh have dpun 40 ~ service Tor
the last quart r OF century. Ihe profess Il
dancers. VINO Ntlons to the 50 'ieti"s. make th"ir