Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-08-02
THE SKIRT DANCE.
a Rudimentary Form OF rerpsichorean
Art-What = Dancer says.

" A. SCH.
Ballot dancers OF the old school con-
denim skirt-dancing as inartistlc and IN.
skiltul, requiring little practice sad less
genius, and pronounce 10 an optical
hoax and delusion. Speaking on this
subject the other evening Ia her dress
ing-room, the pretty dark eyed dancer
OF the Garden Theater, Miss Louise Al
len, who has taken Miss Rewards
role, admitted that skirt dancing was
reallys very simple aud rudlmeutary
form OF terpSlchoran art.
ITS nothing In the world but lotof
high kicking, can-can naughtlness, and
not dancing at at all, but IL goes. She
said with mischievous smile. "Why,
any one can kick and rush Ia few
steps 70 the music and kick again In
side OF lot OF lace. No one notices the
steps, they are so afraid they'll miss the
rest OF II, don't you know. / didnt
know | had 10 take this part until one
Friday night, and at the Saturday mat
inee went on and did tho dance with
out much time 20 practice, for little
French dressmaker and l had q mako
the dress danced In, all IN that morn
ing. You see really learned 10 dance
when Twas little girl OF an old-iash-
Toned French ballot master, who was as
eXacting and hard with us asan English
officer with his men, and | don't be-
lieve there's any use trying 10 learn AZ
ter you are older. For nine long months
! practiced what he calls the bends
the bend OF the knee, the bend OF the
hip, the bend OF the body, and OF the
ankle In pointing the toe-Sundays aud
all, remember, just the same, and never
a day of or a vacation. That was work
OF the hardest kind felt sometimes ~
II had been pounded all over and
every joint was out OF ok. But there
was no resting In the practice. II was
two hours OF constant work. Then l
must learn 10 walk on my toes, so my
feet were done upin those horrld little
Hat shoes with q sole like SIX and no
heel, and with the stld, hard toes, and /
was perched up on one toe and with
one hand on tho back Of chair 90
keep from falling, and tho ballot
master carrying the other foot, and
held out stiff and straight With the
heel turned In and the toe pointed
iowa, as nO,Sor-s,r 6eln 2 10y .g -aAAasfsi I.
" carried foot, ! was marchh around
on that ono toe, showing tho chair Ike
a baby pcarning 90 walk. until tho too
achei 40 I couldn't bear II, when Tho
the thing was reversed and the other
foot became the pivot by aud by I
was left alone TO balance by the chair
and then 20 walk and whlrl and.wnk
and plronette. had an idea OF becom-
ing A premiere danseuse then, but you
must know you must keep up that pfar-
tlce all your life, every single day, or
give II up altogether. and ] just made
up my mind that II was too much work
for me, and I'd rather get glory somo
other way.
"But that's what call real dancing.
and very few Of the skirt dancers ever
had any Of that kind OF drill. In fact,
NV sister has taught young society
ladies very pretty skirt dances ana
Spanlsh dances IN few weeks drill
they never practlced real ballet step
At all. True dancing II something IKE
music. There are seven notes in music,
You know, but out OF the ropltitiohs ln
dIfIerent octayes and their combinations
You write a whole opera. SO IN dancing
there are certain positions aud move
ments which make up all the dances. II
you get the drill and tho steps
once you do not forget them, bat can
learn new dances with tho music and
biz mirror on the floor TO dance before.
az well az with a teacher. Any way,
Won can learn the skirt dance they $50
now by yourself. for II isn't what y vas
when Lefty Lind introduced H. There
are no definite rules about u. ana yoa
can make your dance Individual and
like no one else's by making your own
movements and studying u out IN inc
glass; that IL. n you are supple aud can
bend and wbirl.