National Republican., 1881-12-03
DANCING AS AN ART.
DAYS OF THE SPECTACULAR DRAMA.
The Palm or Famo in Danclug-The American
stagc-Fauny Elssler, Taglloni. the Tribe
or vestris-Thc Fascination OF
This Delicious Pastime.


tween time past and present about all that re-
main of the glories of Taglioni and Elssler. In
the intervals of asthmatic Wheeling they attempt
10 inspire our youthful faucies with the stark mad
ness of their own green and salad days. Docs the
reader recall Carlyle's description Of one particular
ballet. dancer, who seemed "inclined by positive
levy to bolt through the ceillng?' Well, that's our
fix when ivory top reaches into the past on this
theme. We can understand in the abstract his
enthusiasm, but the manner of IL strikes hard
upon our feelings. Nevertheless the flush of the
ballet is somewhat faded, and It's glory has been
somewhat Of the gided hilltop Order that glows
brightest Just before night settles upon 1t. It's
career has been eccentric thus far, and tomorrow
may develop apothcr savior OF its existence, to
endow It with the elemepts Of new life but to-
day looks ominously blank The ball room looms
as the rival OF the stage for
THE PALM OF PANE IN DANCING.
La rdcTicic may fltly preccde some diminished
"sknting ballet" Il is not probable that either
olchuchd bo,cro will ever find recognition In the
ballroom, but bad limitations Of both may be cx-
pected. The reason for the ballcts decadence
may lie as much in the.nervous precipitancy that
chamcterizes all preparation for the public stage
ofto-day as in the entire absence OF any distin-
guished composer of ballet airs. The course in
singing nj the Royal Conservatorio at Milan
extends through eleven years, which is but an
incident TO the time, never ending, requ red
for approximating perfection in the ballet What
in the present dearth Of appreciation promise OF
Iecompense for long years devoted 10 his art? On
The rare occasions OF the presentation of ballet
with La Propheto,"" Robert le Dlnbie," GULL.
aume Tell" or " La Favorita" the corps Is eXtcm-
porzed from the chorus rehcarsed two or three
some incompetent dancing master, and the ballet
Is sparoded before the public (The reader will OF
course understand that refer to our American
bAgc) Dancing Is uuquestionably
ONE OF THE MOST GRACEFUL EXERCISES
Of which the human frame is capable, and the
wonder Of 1t is that the professional devotees Of
The art have not received more encouragement
from nation Of dancers like the Americans. In
this VIC are not Alone however, for the traditional
Haymnrket danseuse always calls forth an asso-
eiation Of "trouters" and small beer. The phe-
nomcnal dancers like Tngion and Elssler have
not, as one might suppose, come from the fervld
south, but have been the exceptional graces in the
remotcr regions of the continent. Taglioni, in
deed, first Dreathed the air of Sweden, but was the
ofVienna, but first found fame in Berlin. They
were contemporary, and, ofcOurse, rivals Tagoni
had held the favor OF Europe for some years
when she was finally ecipscd by Fanny Elsser
who introduced the cdchuchd into the ballet
Both however, ran extremely prosperous careers
and both retired from the stage with riches, and
before they had reached the dangerous period of
oyer-rpeness. In the days when Dr. Veron, the
"three-tailed Bashaw" of the blue opera box, sat
in state to condemn or approve by an .unctuous
grimace the freaks upon the boards, and To make
motive and reason for The extraoriinary efforts
and the weary preparation. Especially may we
regard this incentive because Neron so far forgot
AN UNCONDITIONAL OFFER TO FANNY EIssLER
Of his fame fortune, and himself The well .un;
derstood reputation for "ncarneSs" he enjoyed
did not diminish the triumph in the lenst but
rather gave additional interest to the pursuit that
was bringing within range the cold and impassA-
BILE but powerful leaders of opinion. Victims to
their charms have never been lacking, but the
son headed or empty handed victim-in- ordinary
receives but little respect from these nymphs.
Titles seem to be the web in which they nre caught
but the disastrous experience most OF them have
bought with their coronets might ioreWarn other
bidders N the title market. Even Iaglioni found
Gilbert des Voisins incompatible with personal
Iepose and healthy bank account. Fanny
Elssler was wiser and rctrcaed singly and
alone; but her sister Theresc fell q victim TO
a t-handcd marriage with German prince.
The opera ballet probably owes is diAunGti2n To-
Few musicians and fewer singers recognize the
fact that the lattcr'day Operas, with five acts and
tnnumerable scenes, are io be directly credited 10
Meycrbeer and the school lie crcatcd-that Is the
professional part of it. But without the offices OF
Veron Meycrbeer's scores might yet decorate the
the mausolcum. The shrewd director detected the
germ of success In the novelty and placed 1t be
fore the public.
THIS SAME vERoS, DE 1T REMEMBERED,
was the discoverer of Rachel as well as the ad-
mircr OF Fanny Eisser Moyerbcer, MS we have
seen, wns the originator of the style of operate
This we state in the fncc of WHgners declaration
that Meycrbeer lacked originality of conception
wandering from our subject. The education
of the balletdanceris Is much question ora life
time as the acquisition of French by George ~.
became. Beginning with the tender and plant
bones of babyhnod the inexornblc training must
continue INCREASINGLY until the tights are donned
accounts 10 considerable extent for the fact that
the most successful dancers have belonged to fnmi-
lies who have been professors ofthe same art They
have imbbed ballet instruction generally to the
neglect of all other information. Not alone IN
private is this, rigorous training carried on, bu
the tender.aged but muscular babes are compelled
TO appear before the lights ut n time when better
circumstanced children are as yet closely strung
70 pr nge Sa ars Hhh h S into nocys GTg GWTe
their performances are more phenomenal thar
pleasant. The family, hereditary, or whatever yol
may call II, faculty was particularly wei eNcm
plifed in the last century by the tribe of Nestris
This family almost
MoNoPoLIZED THE BALLET
In the great cities of Europe from 1850 until 1880
No less than eight legitimate possessoS OF TIL
name achieved emincnce in the art. The mel
were more especially noted and they marked tht
decline of their sex IN ballet dancing. In thI
earlier ballets the parts were taken by men alone
but now, and for the past lhrly years, the gcnlle
sex have assumed both male ana female charac
tiers in almost every insonce
The fascination this delicious pnstime aud pro
fession exercises over the badly.balanced minds
in the community may be disastrous 10 them, bn
regarded from the dispnss 0nate perch of the critic
the decline of the ballet is to be regretted as tn,
S'S The snce and 'Ua asiiy Of '' Se participants %
the charming melodies that accompany thei
manic gysspmsG m G ana NE SeH9y Of some IN
ioyment. The other side Of the subject is alas, to-
prominently and inseparably associated IN on
minds 10 be passed without remark. The Frencl
and Italian exocs who at long intervals accom-
pany the better operatic toupes. when they ar
at all attractive, play havoc with the sliscepubl
youths and senile members Of our communities
and carry away with them, besides tTiaes lik
Jewels and cash, the peace Of mind, so-called, q
the before mentioned sene and youthful. Bu
this sort OF thing
DoEs NOT LAST LONG.
Its intensity is the germ Of its specific, and IN
next appeal to their fances upses the last lido
MaDniHppnpp n
ballots Of to-day compared with those In whic
le Grande AOndrgue figured, careful rec
ord is kept OF one, the " Ballet Comique de ]
of the Duke of JOyeuse. which cost nearly three
quarters Of Il million Of dollars, The innumerabl
anecdotes related Of the distinguished dancer
would filled volumes but one must suffice Gaeta
veslris, the head Of the family have montione'
was noted for his vanity and self-importancc an
on one occasion his son, Augustus, had incurre
ment Of "Armde," and was sent TO prison, u
father excamng: "Go, Augustus, go TO prisoI
Take my carriage, and ask for the room of N
friend the King OF Poland"-EOr The Republican,
H. NJ Wright.
Don't Go 10 Europe on Your wedding Tou
In the first place, girls, think of bein
seasick on the Atlantic as the beginning Of yol
honeymoon. Imagine the awful necessity OF con
ing on deck with a lurch and groau and tumb
as you surge toward your deck chair. Fancy Il
experience Of leaving all your bangs and frizz
IN your state-roOm, and appearing before yol
bridegroom with your face tied up with ilann
scarfs on account Of dreadful neuralgia, YC
are sure 10 have neuralgia when seasick II ey
you had 1t in your life, and very likely 10
afflicted with II If not subject TO the disease.
course you won't care at the time; no one car
for anything human when suffering from Sc
HnI nj IA N aflT