Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-22
Ballet Girls.
An Interesting Talk on This WeIl-Worn
 Topic.

An IatsrestinR Talk on This WeII-Worn
 Topic.
 From the Louisville Courier -JournaLJ
 The habits of the ballet girls is a never ending subject of speculation to the people before the fooslights. As pretty girl with pretty figure sweeps across the stage on the tip of her toes, every motion full of grace one feels strong curiosity to know who she is, and what she is, and where she came from, and all about her. The training of the girls has been written about so much that it has become almost as common as that first subject of the fresh young reporters vigor- ous pen, "the opium habit" But interest still clings about the habits of the girls and their origin. A reporter had long and in. teresting talk with MT. Frank Carlos Grif- filth. business manager of Jalma last night, and learned some curious things about ballet dancers.
 ''They are an anniable set of girls, as rule" said MT. Griffith; much better na- tured than singers. Most of them are Ital- ians some are English. Occasionally you find them married, but they always leave their husbands in the old country. They are paid from $50 to $150 a week and their tray cling expenses. Their morality is about as good as that of most women on the stage, not any better and not any worse. You will
 
 t'Do you have much trouble in getting To- cal dancers ?"
 F'Not great deal. It depends, though, upon where you go In the South it is hard CT to get women to go upon the stage than 1t is in the North and East. We always adver- tise for twice many women as we want Very frequently well connected girls, who have limbs and forms of which they are proud, como to us and are willing to go on the stage for nothing. It is 8 frequent oc- currence to have parents coming to us to search for their daughters. Sometimes they write letters and send photographs. These girls go under assumed names, which makes it all the more difficult to detect them When we have 8 variety of girls to choose from we make them exhibit their limbs, up- per and lower. Some of them object to this most seriously, and it is only done in a busi- ness way, and they very soon learn to regard it in that light themselves"
 "How do the legs and arms of Louisville girls compare with those of the girls in other cities 2''
 'svery favorably. The best developed and brightest girls we have had were in Baltimore. In Cincinnati we had good girls. The lower limbs of the St. Louis girls seem to have rnn to feet. It is moro difficult to get girls to go on tke stage here than any other city we have been in. Philadelphia girls are not only badly formed, but they are absolutely stupid. It is with the utmost difficulty that you can
 
 pervsrse 8 woman can be. If one of them goes wrong once she is liable to do the same thing over and over, in spite of all the talk in the world" ''Is there much padding among the ballet dancers ?'
 'None at all. The girls who pad can't dance. It is impossible. There Is very little padding on the stage anyhow The stories about it are very much exaggerated. " 'tWho dance the best, lean girls or fat girls ?" 'sSometin1es a lean girl will dance the best and sometimes fat one. Of course, the au- disnce will prefer girl who Is plump and buxom to a skeleton with limbs like broom sticks You cannot have any idea of what s girl can do till she begins to dance" sIs there much jealousy among them ?" 'eVary little; and in that they differ very much from singers, who are the most jealous set of creatures in the world. The girls seem to enjoy ths life they lead, and laugh and go on among themselves during rehears. als after business Is through" 'tHow much do you pay She new girls, whom you pick up in the various cities where you show ?''
 eve give them $5 week and extra pay for extra services. We don't pay for re- hsarsals."