Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-01-18
DaAAJev

10 dance. and lat9 has incorporated -
meaning Of ballet. bali and ballad Is
goes back IN its history 70 tims con-
temporaneous with tho heydsy and youth
Of those who danced in the ballet of
Nero" this season.
II Is presumed. Of courSe. that ballet
h . pantomimic rendition Of . story. 40
cording 10 historical writers, and tat is
why II seems so odd TO mo that this style
Of anecdots should Do about the same IN
Nero that 1t Is in Aladdin" or some
OF the French operas
It IL hard sometimes for ono unacoW-
toned To those things to readily distin-
guish between . ballet dacfion and .
advertisement. viii try to make that
clear. so that no ono need ever bother
about it any more. A brilsf d0ctiOn Is
one in which ono is able 10 readily fol-
low the anecdote by paying attention to
the dancing. whereas advertisement Is
simply sort Of festival where every
body Is apparently feeling first rate, and
all sorts of clipper little figures are
danced. from a plain jig to leapfrog and
Prisoners Base.
The ballet dactios was introduced
into civilized life about the sixteenth
century. and was used for the celebra-
ton Of great events. such O. eminent
victories and the marriage Of princes
Tights had not then been introduced, a.
the climate was mild and very little in
convenience from cold felt on the part
Of the dancers. We are told by the his
torians that 1.-The cooler the air the high
or kicked the premiere" The first ballet
10 obtain much recognition occurred in
the sixteenth century. at the time OF the
marriage Of the Due de Joyeuse with
Nile. de- vandemont. the sister Of the
qssen. This WAS an Italian ballet called
Ballet Cor,qrts de Ia Royns. because tho
queen took a part IN it. One lady OF the
court sang . song. two others sang .
duet. and others sang in the chorus.
Whether the king turned . back suner-
sault or not the history does not go ON
to state.
The ballet would draw better now IL
more prominent people could take part
in the exercises. wonder that it has
not been done. II members of the cabi-
net could take part in the ballet. and
ladies' Of the foreign legation attend TO
the advertisement. many would attend
who now show little interest in it.
Much cruel criticism and the sharp
arrows Of malice and uncharitsblsness
have been leveled at q class of middle
aged and even elderly men who are IN
-. E-II 49,
or less prompt and early. sitting near
the orchestrs at al times on the presen-
tstiou of new ballet. This is mani
testify unjust ~ class Of men who have
been heretofore too timid to cry out
against this wicked attack.
The ballet is essentially = pantomimic
history. and TO the close and bald headed
student is IL ~ chaste and eloquent as
the music Of Wagner is tn those who
fully understand il. The elderly ballet
Aa5sfss sits and drinks IN this eloquent
pansomime. this dumb story - reeled
OF by blithe and niInble legs before his
ALERT opera glass. just - the sfmirer OF
Wagner. whoee auditory nerve has BE-
ZONE 80 b~uumh~d that NJ can stand IL
and understand il. sits with . pleased
and Anse-exprssion on his fses through
= whole evening. wholly forgetting that
thirsty people srs ever and anon walk
frv across him with Rated hres<h, SEX
ing 70 escape.
To The srudenf tho ballet h IN open
bcok with colored ulusSrssiona He
Knows the soft PUNK If the e sering
and the xurvle of the psceolo. and ever
be sees the changing pantomime - the
wsrner man resrss in The ri~h deep notrs
Ne tale that The aushor Is trying - tell.
I cannot intexpret Wagner Jet. though
I hcpe ~ scsne day. bat can rad the
whole psxhrssc story Of Nero IN she bal
1T Nov I gather from Ne 6arSscs
that Nero % arssng from hi ccuch ~
great the jocund moca- New he steps b
Ne vin.low 10 cpsn ~ shsle II -
car~~ ION m elusrhsp ssd scuyes 10 tns
t,o n he hr~ps with loud asuA Nero
ianps On Ne window IN 70 r~soA ~
rur~snx aftly - the hsw wi ~ NE
si.riuuss and hwxveks~e thse ~ csaDot
r~ssh sbe sh.Ss. a1U H. - - 90 ysf
deuu>i his toxA
SAN psrph via r>ss ~ younu svs-
r>r-r nsrxs - . ~rsufswtw - ~ w.
asp- xna nh1ns . hwx1sa -. beg1ne