The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-02
A "eenosa'sr CONFESSIONS.
A Fair English Contortt""i" 81 H'"e'eS"
Tell, Of Her Profession.

n
Tell. Of Her Profession.
The other day called OIL bender q
lady not gentleman. who IL well known
as a most serpeutino contorilonist
wished TO ask Mile Vonare few ques
lions about her art. with view OF throw
ng some light on the training oil iIttie
boys and girls for the profession Inc
LADY, was sitting before the lire with her
sister who has abandoned bending hef
self. and exhibits troupe OF highly edu
Gated poodles huge wicker basket con
tanned her dress and other stage habits
From its depths she produced bundle OF
photographs of herself tied and knotted
into ali manner OF curious folds
That Is the business OF bender lbe
body ~ thrown into score OF unnatura
Pastures which appear to the audience 10
be achieved by dislocating every JOINT III
the human frame and 10 6e elected AZ
rrcai ri-k u limb and life Artists are
reucrally enthusiastic atOut their caiiihg5
and must say that Miss VoGare declared
she would rather be bender tuan
queen or something TO that effect She be
can at 4 at "a she vas before the public
and remains a bender still Ny father
saw a coniortionist one night on the stage
and he asked himself why he should not
teach me. aged ! was put into train
inc at once and enjoyed the fun. as a
child will enjoy anything new Na1 J
beatenf was starved No | seemed TO
take TO II like a little duck takes 10
water You see. we were a family OF
athletes land besides. | was a daughter
and not an apprentice II tue father IL
the trainer he may not spare the rod but
he il cruel only TO be kiu'l My expert
ence is that less rod and more kindness -
the best plan Father used TO tribe Us
into doing the different tricks To toe sue
cessfui means years OF hard work. prac
tice and performance | am 10 now. and
my performance Keeps the in capital train
ing
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 IT,
danger. and nj FIRST your teacher controls
vour movements with belt 1t Is much
the same with other forms of acrobaiic
| work. and the cruelty often takes the form
of taking away the mattress. which
creates sort OF panic In tue pupils mind
| # he has really tried bis best and failed.
be Is so terrified that he Is almost certain
! to fail unless he has great deal OF pluck
| If he has only been stlking ii may bring
him to his bearings OF course. children
are often stubborn and try The p3tieHca
Of the teacher to it, utmost limit
The art Of contOrsion continued Miss
Vonare, is learned by degrees First the
backward bend then tue dislocation.
then the splits and 50 OH What we
call 'closeness distinguishes the best
bending To the audience bending seems
most difficult experience no discomfort
or inconvenience was "a puny cl-ild
You see me now The lady bender was
certainly most healthy and cheerful, stout
in body and rudy in complexion and she
strongly maintains that ali women would
/ be greatly benefited il they took to bend
| ing 1t is quite mistake to think that
we put our limbs out OF joint OF that we
/ suffer from the curious nature Of our per
/ Torrance OF course after one or NOR"
difficult positions one may suffer little
| pain but it goes IN no time In some at
titudes can only remain for twenty soc
onds. AZ the breathing becomes difficult
! But these are trding Inconvenience
practice a few minutes every day to keep
myself loose here In my room. and that Ia
about all need do Pail Mall Gazette