The critic., 1891-01-31
CAIMENCITA's PROUD TRIUMPH.

a n..II t.. ~.
Sees the RciIcs and RnsebuIs "r Mr.,
y,,, A.. S..,,. .,s ~ 900 49,,
"s mn, sne o"ci,' vi INC '"o' a'"
Men ana women ABOUT Town MT Her
Feet.
From me Nete York Sun, Jan, 3lSt
Carmencita's chariot was drawn to its
side and stenp;ng from ber scat
sho fo,nd horSa,f rnor a o,on,rororv stono
sue iouiiu h,iseii upon VeiiipUraiy s''sc'
with the audience sun appiauding.
Her white mantilla iluttcred to the floor
and she stood still for n second. her bare
arms ox,erded wide ber hodv hert n ,ittIo
iani, onI nmo soot sarn,a,J
oarh anu one ioo' iol w''u,
Her head was turned little to one side.
Her coal black hair glistenod and two tiny
punches of white flowers held the long
Spanish knot in place. Her eyes were
half shut and cleaned with proud light.
A slight smile moved her lips.
There was n second of silence. and then
the men in dress coats mingled with the
people of the pageant in the dress of me-
dimval Spain began To applaud.
The whole assembly took IL up in
stantly.
From the galleries and boxes and tiers
of seats came n burst of admiration fos
this graceful peasant queen. i'm her gauzy.
spangled skirts, with the proud almost in
solent smile on her face.
Quickly her nose changed. There was
a burst of music. She had bowed and
was walking about her narrow arena with
a swinging, graceful step. in which her
head, the flowers in her hair, the spangles
of her gown, every muscle and limb
seemed to unite to form perfect grace.
Then the strains of the "Cachucha'' BIZ
gan and Carmencita took fire. She pc
rouetted on tip-toe. Her body bent for
ward until her head nearly touched the
floor, back until it nearly touched the
floor again, sideways in circles, her feet
moving all the while, her skirts flashing
and hutteIing, her arms swaying and
curving,
Now the dance was slow, and again it
was a mad whirl. Her ewes grew as
languorous as her body or slowed i'm har-
mony with its auicter movements. She
seemed to have absorbed all the rhythm
of the music. embodied IL in herself until
il was lost and nothing remained but Car
mencita the Graceful, the queen of dan
GERS.
And the myriad lights were flashing
| above and around her and the orange and
| rcd of the decorations were her back
ground. II was wonderful. She mes
meri2ed the audience.
The women of fashion came out of Gu
| riosity, and timidly sitting in the rear of
| the boxes leaned forward, intent upon her
every motion. There was no applause
| because every one feared to break the
| spell.
The music crashed and Carmencita was
bowing again, and the applause was cat-
| tering, They brought her great bouquets
| and baskets of flowers. tied with the
| Spanish colors, and she kissed her little
| hands and bent her head until YOU could
| see nothing but the black braids and the
two little punches of white flowers.
| There was n pause and then the audience
| applaudcd at the sound of familiar "San.
| jago," which is foremost of waltzes in the
| popular heart. But il was not simple
| First She drew herself up haughtily
| drawing the mantilla about her shoulders
| Then she flung it from her and began to
| dance TO the slow. sensuous measure.
| Again the music vanished from the in
struments into her body. and again tn,
spectators, tier on tier, leaned forward ant
became drunk with the sensuousness oI
the motion.
| Sometimes she writhed with all tn,
sinuousness of a serpent. Sometimes hel
head hung low and her arms slowl,
moved about in time to the music. Some
times her body swayed slowly round ant
round, Then the music went faster, anC
Carmcncita seemed to be carried ava,
bv IL.
Her bosom rose and fell quickly, he,
arms floated swiftly about her, with he
hands wide and her fingers curving, he
body moved gracefully from side TO side
and her little slippered feet Skinned owe
the floor, scarcely seeming to touch it.
This was the triumph of the evening
and the applause was mingled with shout
of ''Brayo!" and wild waving of hand
nera," which was less sensuous. Sh
bowed several times and kissed her hands