Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-09-28
THE BALLET OF THE FUTURE.

THE BALLET OF THE FUTURE.
Mrs. Thurber's American Girls
Rehearsing for Coming Spec
tacles.
A row of twenty-five young ladies
firmly grasping with their left hands a
brass rod which ran along one side OF the
room, theirright legs stubbornly extended
at more or less acute angles, was the
novel spectacle which met the gaze of a
New York World reporter as he entered
Clarendon hall one day last week. The
rehearsal of the corps de ballet of the
great and only American opera was in
progress. The question of the ballet had
been from the outset sorely perplexing
one to Mrs. F. K Thurber and those who
are associated with her in the production
OF simon-pure American opera. 1t is
and has been, of course, as every one
knows, the intention of the management
to employ only American song birds, and
the question has naturally arisen, "Why,
If we are to have nothing but American
voices, should we consent to have any
other legs?" But there the trouble be-
gan. Even Mrs. Thurber, with all her
ultra-American enthusiasm, was forced to
admit that while American legs were no
doubt superior to any other variety, they
were still listed in operate circles as raw
material, and were practically valueless
as works of art.
1t doubtless cost many pang before
the management consented to waive the
point of Americanism in the selection of
the first and second dancers of the Ameri-
can operas ballet, and closed contracts
with Theodore de Gilbert of Moscow and
Felicia Carozzi and Romilda Via of
Milan. Further foreign concessions the
management positively declined to make.
eve will take these few Aliens" said
they, because the supremacy OF their art
gives them a proper footing in any
land, but the general tone and per-
sonnet of the ballet must and shall be
American"
These views were impaired to M.
Mamert Bibeyrau, who had already been
selected as master of the ballet" "Vaire
WE'LL" said this motionless master, "ze
Americana Teddy has re intelcegiance re
cultivation / shall gift It shall be my
pride to develop re art in re legs of re
Americana Teddy"
1t was in this laudable undertaking that
M. Bibeyrau yesterday afternoon en-
gagged. There didn't seem to be any
doubt about the Americanism of his
pupils. Neither was there any doubt
about their age and their good looks.
They were all young and moderately
handsome.
As it is not every day that one has an
opportunity to discover bevy of pretty
American maidens at school for the ballet,
a word or two about their appearance can
scarcely be amiss. Down to their waist
they were clad in tight-ftting vests. These
vests were in various colors. Some were
of blue, some were of white, and some
were of red. None had sleeves. 1t is a
part of M. Bibeyrau's method to train the
upper as we'll as the lower limbs in the
ways of grace. Below the waist M.
Bibeyrau's pupils were costumed in a sort
of fairy "b)oomer." The outlying folds
or tissues of this extraordinary garment
consisted of white gauze, beneath which
were breeches of cotton cloth which ended
at the knee and which were supplemented
from the knees down by silk stockings
of various hues. Pink, white and blue
slippers incased the feet of the fair
students.
M. Bibeyrau was provided with fiddle.
With the instrument under his arm he
marched boldly up and down the line of
blushing, giggling girls. They were all
clinging with their left hand to the brass
railing, as has been described, with their
feet differently extended towards their
preceptor, as if by way of salute. 1t was
all very funny, but the professor was So
lemnity ITSELF Suddenly he paused in
his tour of inspection. The uplifted limbs
of the fair students wcbbled woefully
about. The twenty-five little white fists
clenched the brass rod with renewed
manifest determination on the part of the
class to come to respectful and motion
less present arms.
1t has been said by clever writer, in
describing the movements of the leader
of the ballet, "that she stood on her left
toe and projected her right limb, thereby
becoming quarter to g. and that she
item stood ON her right toe and pro-
jected her left leg, and became quar-
ter past g." The twenty-five mem
bers of Bibeyrau's class, carrying
out this figure of speech, ranged
from twenty-five to nineteen minutes to
6. STOPPING suddenly down and taking
hold of the heel of girl who was but a
minute or two better than half-past S, the
professor swung her right limb up towards
the ceiling until she was at least 5:52
p. m.
After this preliminary adjustment of
their dancing gear, the young ladies were
instructed in the art of walking upon their
toes, and were taught how to pick up
imaginary bouquets with theirright hands
while the left lower limbs were extended
skywards at right angles to the nape of
their necks.
The professor is enthusiastic on the sub
ject of his class, and says that the Amer
lean ballet will be "ze ballet of re future"