The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-20
THE CORPS DE BALLET
At the Dancing School of the
Vienna Opera House.
EIGHT HOURS DAILY PRACTICE.
The Entrechat Dazzling Physical
Charms of the Dark Eyed Girls of
Bohemia and Hungary.


lei ana see the young girls glide over the
stage in the most difficult steps and atti-
tudes have any idea what pains it has cost
them to acquire the proficiency necessary
for such display.
10 become prinad baIleriaa takes wears.
Four hours of daily practice of exhausting
exercises, continued for years would daunt
even greater energy and patience than the
average aspirant can bring to the task
Therefore the Vestris and Taglionis are so
rarel
The dancing school of the Vienna opera
mouse does not make very favorable i'm
preston on the visitor. 1t is like A large
dancing hail, only that the ceiling is very
low, the ventilation bad and the floor
eIantlng like that of a stage. At both
SIDES OF the main entrance are dressi ny
rooms. The walls of the dancing hall are
without any ornaments whatever, except
few large mirrors, and number of bars
fastened TO the walls at the height of the
hlps, where number of young girls in
scant costume were drilled in the funda-
mental exercises.
Near by number of coryphees were try
ing, to the squeaky accompaniment of
lonesome fiddle, the steps of an old
fashioned gayotte for the new ballet,
vienna Waltzes," depicting the histor-
zeal development of the waltz from its
origin TO the summer festivals in the
"frater, which always end IN dance.
In another corner number of children
were practising the difficult figure of
grdnds 6attemeHts, a sideward kicking
movement, with stiffened leg. Grown per-
sons can hardly learn TO execute the bate
meRt TO the desirable height on account of
the developed structure of their bodies
please remember" shouted the ballet
master, that in raising the foot the toes
leave the floor last, and in returning they
touch the floor first
The ballet master was genuine type of
his professional well-set little man, with
gray mustache and curly hair, coiffured
In French style, with infallible white linen
and an indifferent face, which denotes
that he has long accepted the position of
being in continual contact with young
girls OF all ages as a part of the calling OF
his life
lie was cheerful, familiar, loudly-talk-
alive, middie-aged man, who wished To
impress every visitor with the extensive
knowledge he has of his profession
The most difficult figure in the art of
dancing is entrechat-that is, to Jump
into the air and beat your feet repeatedly
together before you touch the ground
Not before 1870 Mile. Camarjo succeeded
In making an entrechat en- quatre and ten
years later Mile. Larry made one in six.
The most popular figure, however, is the
piroutte which was introduced by Maxi
milan Gardel, ballet master of the king OF
Wurtemburg, etc. etc
Then bell summoned all to a rehearsal
on the stage. CeTito, the prima baiierina,
marvel of elasticity ami grace, most care
fuily went through every detail of her
part. She enjoys handsome income and
has established herself IN mansion
worthy OF princess, though she smiling
ly contesses that the times are over when
Mile. st. German had her boadoir pa
pered with bank notes.
The members of the corps de ballet are
to large extent dark-eyed Bohemian and
Hungarian girls, almost dazzling in their
immediate physical charms. But it is diff
hcuit 10 decide II they are more attractive
than the daughters of Viennese burghers,
who are also largely represented.
And yet to the artists eye how few OF
them have easy, unembarrassed bearing OF
the arms and an agreeable carriage OF the
body.
On the street they all appear as most
styhshly-dressed young ladies. And one
can easily come to the conclusion that the
meagre salary of sixty marks a month is
no special Inducement 10 u strictly moral
life.
Though their theatrical costumes are
often airy enough to be packed in a cigar
box, they are by no means inexpensive. n
tights are very often torn and shoes worn
out in Il night.
Also Fraulein Abel. the other favorite
dancer, took part IN the ballet. she has
the reputation of being the greatest mimic
q, 4
hesitate to compete with Coquelin.
Neither Abel nor CeFljo could pass for
professional beauties. int they can both
boast OF n tall and slender, Wcl.-dcy ,toped
figure, with waist undetormci by stays.
None of the great danscIs-s of the Gen.
fury, like Fanny Ellsier, Lucille Grahn. the
Granzow, we're particularly beautiful IN
form or face. it was the easy elegance they
displayed In each of their movements
which made their fame. And the very
same can be said OF the two NIcnue>e
dancers. Cerlto shows more yicor, spOu-
taniety and technical skill, while Abel -
more refined, intellectual and truly ar
tistic.
How charming Frauein Abel can he in
private life! OHe evening after the per
formancc / met her among a company OF
ThespIans ~ one of the teadln. res .au-
rants. and had the pieaeurc 10 enter into
conversation with her OH the art OF dane
ing.
The very same evening | had admired
her in one oi her best approximations. -
the Dumb Girl Of PO-tIcl.' | had never
seen such acting without - oris before. so
graceful in every atJltGGc and gesture, 50
natural in every change OF iacla! express
sion, 50 expressive in the representation OF
all human sentiments ana passions.
And DO yuu really think that the ballet
could be elevated To an "a; III the import
ance OF painting or mu~Icf' | asked
She looked somewhat aStonished III me
as she replied. Most assurcdly it could
be done 4 few days ago / read hook ny
Noverre. French ballet master of the last
century, ~ hich had not been read since
Napoleon's time. He had put down the
laws IF hs art SIS well IS LesSlng did for
the drama And If YOU THINK &c over. YOU
can not deny that the human body Is the
nobIest creation OF nature. aud that dane
Ing - the highest expression of beauty
which the human BODY : able 10 perform. ~
ieIt the truth OF her answer. and hop
ing IN hear Still more OF interest. told
her that nearly every ballet | ha1 seen
seemed to me ridiculous IN IL pot, and /
requested her 10 tell nae her lGra uI the
kind of plot good ballet should have.
After few minutes thinking she an
swered that ballet should always have
simple poetic plot, passionate but never
tragic action. Introducing Is many Taria-
mons of national dances as possible, be
cause every one OF them Is original, and
has its peculiar charm and general inter-
est. Il would 10 away with the present
stvle Of walking on the toes and the con
torUon OF limbs, aud establish instead :
sort OF pe!sartean training
Then We came 10 talk about stage man
aging rs In connection with her art She
wished that scenery and costumes wonid
ALWAYS show = perfect agreement Of coiors.
The costume alone should indicate the