Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-01-13
THE
What their Muscles are Made Of
allow They Stand on
Their Toes. D
New York SUM-

Their IOeS. y
New York SUM-
In spite of her seeming scantiness Of
clothing, a ballet dancer does not suf-
fer from cold. Under her silk or cot
ton hosiery every ballet-dancer, with
out exception, wears padding. The
padded tights are needless. A strap
Of the stockinet of which they were
woven extends under the hollow OF
the foot. The webbing is finely
ribbed around the ankle, and not
padded below the swell Of the calf, or
where the calf ought to swell. The
padding is of fine lambs wool fleece
knitted, with the fleece thrown up
like plush on the under side into the
web, which is of cotton, strong and
not too elastic. There is no padding
around the knee, and none around the
hips. The thighs are well padded.
Few men or women have small, we'll
propOrtioned knee-joints, and even
when they have sufficient flesh it
is not so distributed as to produce
perfect symmetry of form. These
padded goods are therefore gener-
ally made to order. This is necessary,
for no two persons have the same
proportionate length of thigh and
leg. Again, many have good calves,
and the rest of the leg very poor and
thin. Others have thighs and not
calves; others have thighs and calves
with sufficient flesh thereon, but it is
not in the right places. How is all
this remedied? Why, in the directest
and shortest manner possible. The
lady or gentleman wLo orders a pair of
padded thighs is waited on by a sales
man or saleswoman who understands
his or her business. To a customer a
pair Of unpadded tights of perfect
shape is first given to put on. Then
he is measured first around the waist,
then around the hips, then around the
calf, and then around the ankle. Next
along the inside of the leg. The
measurer then carefully notes and
jOts down for the manufactu guild
ance the deficiencies in the persons
figure. In about a week the garment
ordered is finished. If there is too
much padding at any point it can be
seen at a glance and clipped off.
Padded shirts or bodies for both men
and women are also measured for
when ordered in a similar manner
When the entire tights extended to
the waist are not needed, ealf-padded
tights extending only a little over the
knee can be ordered. These are worn
with trunks.
The fact that the demand in New
York for theatrical goods of that kind
is sufficient to warrant the erection Of
a factory in Brooklyn, and the impor-
tation of the machinery and the
weayers, knitters, and embroiderers
from Europe to carry it on is proof Of
the extensive use of these articles.
la fact. they are not worn by theatrical
people alone. Numbers of men and
women who daily promenade the
streets, who drive in park, and are
seen at balls, theaters, receptions and
the opera, year padded hosiery, with
fine silk hosiery over it. From a dis
lance, too-from the far west, from
the east and south-padded hosiery is
ordered in Immense quantities. The
circus-ring owes no small part of its
attractions to the wearing of these
padded goods. Whoever has seen a
boat race or athletic games, and OBJ
served the most Bernhardt-like spare
ness Of many of the best athletics.
and thewant of proportionate develop
ment in others as compared with the
forms and limbs Of the gymnasts and
athletics, the equestrians and the
trapeze performers Of the rings. must
be convinced Of the truth Of our asser-
ton, 10 fact, the training necessary to
make a Bonfanti or a ROza Of the
RizOrelli brothers must reduce the
human form divine in the same way
that training a race horse does. The
racer is beautiful only because our
eyes are wonted to a conventional
taste which associates his spareness
with his feetness. When it comes to
grace, that is quite q different thing.
Another illusien is that Of the bal.
let dancers standing on the tips Of
her toes. She can always easily per-
form that feat with a little practice in
a pair Of padded Italian ballet dancers
slippers. The sole is Of a single
thickness of buff leather. 1t is
shorter than the foot by the length Of
the toes. The toe is supplemented,
however, By a stiff leather or cork
padding, followed out, into which the
great toe fits, and is thus supported
underneath as well as above, so that
there is little or no strain except on
the tendons Of the instep and ankle
at the moment when the dancer comes
diagoDally down the stage to the foot
lights, with her arms extended, her
lips parted in a smile, and walking on
the tips Of her big toes. These bal
let slippers all come from Italy. They
have no heels, and the uppors are Of
rose pink satin Of the best quality,
which does not crack or crumble when
drawn eye. the rounded, hardIpadded
box toe,