The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-05-31
Talk With a Bender.

The other day | called on a bender,
says writer in the Pail Mall Gazette,
lady, not a gentleman, who is well
known as a most serpentine contortion-
ist. wished to ask Mile. Vonare
few questions about her art, with a view
of throwing some light on the training
of little boys and girls for the pro-
fession. The lady was sitting before
the fire with her sister, who has aban-
doned bending herself, and exhibits
troupe of highly educated poodles. A
huge wicker basket contained her
dress and other stage habits. From its
depths she produced bundle of photo
graphs of herself tied and knotted in
to all manner of curious folds.
That is the business of bender. The
body is thrown into Il score of un-
natural postures, which appear to the
audience to be achieved by dislocating
every joint in the human frame. and
to be effected at great risk to limb and
life. Artists are generally enthusias-
tic about their callings, and | must
say that Miss Vonare declared she
would rather be 4 bender than queen,
or something to that effect. She be-
gan at four: at five and a half she was
before the public, and remains a bend
er still. my father saw eontortion-
ist one night on the stage, and asked
himself why he should not teach me,
aged four. | was put into training at
once, and enjoyed the fun, as child
will enjoy anything new. Was l.
beaten? Was | starved? No. l
seemed to take to it like duck takes
to water. You see, we We're family
of athletes, and. besides was daugh-
ter and not an apprentice. If the
| father is the trainer he may spare the
rod and more kindness is the best
plan. Father used to bribe us into do
ing the different tricks. To be sue
cessful means years of hard work,
practice and performance. | am nine
teen now, and my performance keeps
me in capital training.
In the business of contortiOn the first
lesson is the backward bend, first with
the arms and then without. You stand
on long mattress, so that there is no
danger, and at first your teacher con-
trolls your movements with a belt. 1t
is much the same with other forms of
acrobatic work, and the cruelty often
takes the form of taking away the
mattress, which creates a sort of panic
in the pupils mind. If he has really
tried his best and failed, he is so terri
fed that he is almost certain to fail un-
less he has great deal of pluck. Ifhe
has only been sulking it may bring
him to his bearings OF course chill
dren are often stubborn, and try the,
patience of the teacher to its utmost
limit.
The art of of contortion, continued
Miss Vonair, lis learned by degrees.
First the backward bend, then the dis
location then the splits and so on.
! What we call 'closeness' distinguishes
the best bending. To. the audience
bending seems most difficult. But I
experience no discomfort or inconveni-
ence. was puny child. You see
me now" The lady bender was GER
tainly most healthy and cheerful, stout
in body and ruddy in complexion, and
strongly maintains that all women
would be greatly benefited if they took
to bending. ''It is quite mistake to
think We put our limbs out of joint, or
that we suffer from the curious nature
of our performance OF course, after
one or more difficult positions one
may suffer little pain, but it goes in
no time. In some attitudes lean only.
remain for twenty seconds, as the
breathing becomes difficult. But these
are inconvenienees. | practice a few
minutes every day to keep myself loose
here in my room, and that is about all
| need to do"