Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-26
HIRING BALLET GIRLS.
\ Chicago Theatrical Agent Earns an
Honest Dollar Dealing in ShapeIy
Female FOrms-ChicagO the Centre of
the Ballet Trade.


the Ballet Trade.
Chicago Ne,cs
NO, can't say that attractive ballet
girls are in great demand just at this
time" said a Clark street theatrical
agent, -'but | have a few orders on nv
books from other cities. Have | had anv
calls in answer to my advertisements to-
dayy No, not one; have we, Clara -
turning to a demure little lady attired in
black, who occupied a desk at the farther
side of the room. Clara thought not.
You see, / didn't expect anv
girls to call to-day in answer to
notices printed in papers this morn
ing. Ha! you wonder why? Well.
I'll tell you. My advertisement was
'worded' for the professional eve only.
No one who has not been ballot girl or
a stage performer at some time will read
it at all, and at the present time most of
the ballet girls in Chicago are engaged in
sewing or working in shops and stores
When they 90 home at night they will see
the notice and call the next day. There's
plenty of them in the large retail dry
goods houses. Now, if had said wanted
attractive ladies without experience for
the stage, at good salaries, this room
would be thrOnged in the morning before
| could get down town.
DO Louisville and other cities have to
GOOl-
looking ballet girls?''
s.Oh. yes, yes; didn't you know that!
Why, there are at least 500 ballet and
first part variety girls in this city now
When out of engagements they all flock
to Chicago, especially during the summer
season. They can more readily find other
employment here to exc out their exist
ence. and besides they prefer to live here
during the warm weather. It's hard to
induce them to leave Chicago till the cold
DAYS come and they begin to feel the need
Of coal. Then they are quite willing to
90 TO Cincinnati, Louisville, st. Louis or
New Orleans"
DO you receive orders from Eastern
citiesv'
ssYes, I supply ballet and first-part
girls to Pittsburg. Beyond that New
York does the business. Cleveland, De
troit and Toledo send here for their
trOupes. But the most of my business in
that line comes from Western cities.
Kansas CITY. Denver, LeadYiile and Tex
as towns all send here for their variety
girls. And you wouldn't think 1t, but
the experienced girls all prefer those far
Western places, where the rOugher ele-
ments ofhumaRity cOngregate at the va
riety places Of amusement. Oh, that's
easily explained. They are engaged on a
weekly salary. with perquisities arising
in the shape ola commission on all liquors
sold i'm the win6-rOOms through their en-
ticements. The far Western towns pro-
duce much the largest revenue on the
liquor score"
'sWhat salaries do they receiver
From IS 10 $40 week for the most de-
sirable. 4 good ballet girl must be of
symmetrical figure, graceful and a good
dancer. Are there many beauties among
them: Come around and see some day
when | have a company in. OF course
there are stars among ballet girls as well
as i'm other grades of the profession. Some
of them become celebrated and earn large
salaries. History of the stage
is full of examples. But alas! as in
other modes of life, the great majority re-
main i'm Obscurity. and lose their social
position. AS a class they are not intelli-
Gent. find many girls who do not know,
In fact do not care to know, which is the
farther South. Louisville or New Or
leans. One day a philan-
thropic gentleman complained to
me that my business enticed many in
nOcent and unsophisticated girls into an
unhappy life. Come round said L, and
see some OF those who respond to my adj
vertisements,' When he came and heard
bevy Of gay fOOtlight girls talk, looking
anything but unsOphisticated by their
efrontery and bOldness, he went away
satisfied that they were all professionals.
l never have any other kind applying for
employment. How they first get on the
stage-whO can tell? Among other
causes, there's hunger and a fondness for
gay dress. But their giddy existence
leads 60 quick decay. The end of the plav
Of life soon comes. Then the curtain
drops, slowly falling TO the prompter's
bell"