Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-30
T0NIGHTTHEY DANCE
AL THINGS READY FOR THE AssoclA-
TON BALL AT THE THEATRE.
tfnai Rehearsal Last Evening for the Sir
Roger de coveriey-The pecors-
tIons--Fnil Programme.


Tonight NJ The Theatre the picture that
has been uppermost in the mind of Rich
mond society for weeks viii DO a rosplen-
dent reality.
Tomorrow il viii be dream, but O
dream of fair women Of the present and
The past. vision of the grace OF motion,
and Of harmonious blendings OF color on
tho one hand and artistic antitheses IN cos
Tunes on the other that will ever be
standard hereafter when similar affairs arc
essayed.
To the work Of rendering 10 certain that
The ball shall pass off With unprecedented
foldi the Richmond ladies, aside from those
who will participate IN tho Sir Roger do
Coyerley dance, have brought love for the
cause for which IL is given, coupled with a
pardonable pride in appearing at Their best
III the way of dress. This assures the pres;
ence of galaxy of loneliness of face and
form enhanced by richness Of toilet such
o. IS seldom witnessed.
TIE DAxcUss' FINAL REHEARSAL.
The last rehearsal OF tho ladies and gen.
tlemen who will participate IN the or
Roger de Coverley.n which will be the
browning feature of the great ball, was heiu
mt the Theatre last evening at $3.50 O'Clock.
There were hundred or more spectators
in the galleries, and as the beautiful hgures
were executed these could not refrain from
occasional bursts of applause at the more
striking features of the dance. q,
Professor Laube was present ana ouere9
his last suggestions TO the already sklliuI
dancers. who executed the varied ana IN
tricate figures with perfect ease anu grace
DIoNHIED. Bot MERRY.
The "sir Roger" as it will be danced
tonight. is stately, grand. and dignlhed.
~ a. = asah of
6nale that will thrill every Virginia heart
and bring a smile to every southern face.
Ii terminates IN q regular old-tlme break
down ITO express 1t very indignantly,
but notwithstanding this the grace ana
skill OF none Of the dancers Will fail 10 ct
tract attention even in its ending. 49,.
The eliree or polonaise OF the Sr
Roger" is stately in the extreme, ana as
the participants appear in the lustre shed
by hundreds of electric-hghts the days OF
Eve olden time" are distinctly recalled, or
rather brought before us. One can almost
behold the dignifed Washington OF Ihacke-
ray's Yirginans" as he grandly bows TO
Madame Warrington, the stiff Virginia
dame.
FEATURES OF SIR ROGER.
One Of the most striking features, or one
that particularly impresses the spectator
upOn first behoiding the dancers the en-
fr,es. is the quaint curtsies the partners make
TO one another. Then follow intricate ana
beautiful marches, gracefully conducted
by the leaders. and stately bows, made
still more stately by the dignihed demeanor
of those who make them. -,
Round and round. first in coils and then
in semi-circles. march tho dancers WIND
ing in and out, yet always ending with
some beautiful figure.
To attempt to describe the dance IN all
its rlinu,ig would be as difficult task as
that of describing in detail the beauties OF
some wonderful kaleidoscope.
But after tho thoughts of the spectators
have unconsciously reverted to decades
long since gone by there bursts forth from
amidst the strains OF music o iaml!iaT hote'
Harkl the Arkansas Traveller" APP
proaches. Nearer and nearer he comes.
The music gets moro and more enthuslng,
and every foot qmckCns. The zig" com
mences and merTiment prevails. Inc hddIe
and the banjo reign supreme, and ike the
strains of Orpheus's Tyre the thrilling notes
move every animate and inanimate thing.
In the medley with which the music OF
Sir Roger concludes the Arkansas Ira
weller is hurried away. amid the patter OF
footsteps, and Hush, Miss Nancy, Don't
You CRY fills all the air. Then the " Missis-
sippi Sawyer" pervades the atmosphere
and il gives way TO Pop Goes the Wea-
sell" By this time the irrepressible Ar
kansas Traveller regains supremacy and
maintains his rights until The dance IS
ended.
PRETTY GIRLS TO DANCE.
Doubtless the most pleasing feature of
the "Sir Roger Cat least OF the one that
will be given tonight is the number OF
pretty women which 60 70 complete Its
tout ensemble. Every style Of beauty 10
combined, each far one constituting
harmonious foil for her sister dancer.
There Is the little maid with re'rottsse
nose. Her foil IL the stately girl with
classic features; yet, which Is the more
charming? "Ahl that's the question"
Then there is the handsome creature with
orbs OF deepest black, and the gentle maid
with eyes of the s1ftest blue; the slender
girl, the plump girl-the American type
and the Italian type This will be the iea-
ture of the Sir Roger" tonight and ike
wise the feature of the ball.
COLOR, LIGHT AND soFTNEss.
The interior of the Theate tonight will
present q scene that beggars description.
The predominant elements to render II
thing of beauty" Will be light and color,
and of these there will be an abundance.
Hundreds of lights will sparkle like con-
stellations from almost every portion OF
the building, while as the dancers appear
upon the stage, all the colOrs OF the ram
bow will be reflected upon them from a
calcium light.
Each of the three galleries will be encir-
cled with electric lights, and the second or
middle one will have double row OF
globes. which will produce most beautl-
ful effect. From the ceiling OF the build
ing circular chandelier with hundred
lights will be suspended.
The stage is 10 be enriched and softened
by prOfusion of tropical plants and ferns,
which will form q beautiful contrast to the
brilliancy of the rest of the scene.
SPECIAL DECORATIONS.
The decorations for the Theatre have
not vet been completed, although the
draper and his force OF hands worked ell
last night. StTeamers OF silk, bearing the
national colors, and the American eagle,
worked in gilt, will form large part OF
the decorations. while gracefully-toldlnC
draperies and huge flags viii be artlstlcally
placed in various portions OF the building
The stage has been extended TO the col
umns that support the dress circle. The
projection is somewhat larger than that
made for the Colonial ball. 1t will be COW
cred with pure white crash in order to rem
der dancing less laboriOus and 10 make the
movements smooth aud easy.
THE PROGRAMME.
The reception will commence tonight at
$3.50 o'clock, and the ladies composing this
committee will be on the stage promptly
at that hour. They will not have any fixed
positions, nor will the reception be strictly
formal-that is tosay, every one Is expected
20 come forward and exchange courtesies,
etc, without any fixed modas operdad,
The ladies of this committee will be as
sisted by Dr. James Il. McCaw, Colonel
Archer Anderson, and Messrs. James Al
ston Cabell, L. V. Valentine, Is. Is. Mum
ford, and John Kerr Branch.
These gentlemen will all wear bo1aon-
nleres of pink carnations, tied with ribbon
OF the same color. The Floor Committee
will wear white carnations, fastened with
ribbons Of like hue.
Fancy costumes win only be required Of
those participating in the SIR Roger
but no one will be admitted on the hoor
with the dancers unless in evening dress.
ApropOs of the subject OF costumes, 1t
may be said 10 the interest OF the ladies
that the robes Of many Of the fair ones
present will cost hundreds of dollars. Seve-
raj of the dresses for this occasion were
made in Europe. and on du that there are
nj least half dozen that cost as much rs
400 apiece, 70 say nothing of the magnif-
cent lace upon them.
sUPPER-s4LE OF BOXES.
The supper (by no means the least pleasing
feature Of the OCCASION will be served at