St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-07
HIGH ART IN KICKING,
Sklrt.Dancing as It Is Ppac-
tieed in Belgravia and
Bohemia.
Its Witcheries Stir the Latent
Gypsy Blood of Maid and
MatrOn.
But 1t Is by No Means an
Easy Thing TO
Learn.
Skirt, Serpentine and Butter.
fly Dances Are in
Vogue.

1t looks such an easy thing to dO-to
catch up t1uted skirt over the Shout
GERS, behind the head, take a few waltz
steps and give an occasional kick. You
are quite positive you could do it with
very little practice. writes Edith Ses-
sions upper in the New York World.
Well, try 1t. Perhaps you'll yet reve-
latian.
When you have discovered that you
KNOW absolutely nothing about it, per-
ilaps you will set out to learn the fir st
principles of skirt dancing
Every one has been prophesyiny
speedy passing of this popular mode of
entertainment. int it is like the poor,
sui with us. and the consensus of upin-
ion is hat ii is vet in its infancy.
When dance imported trCn the
amusement halls of London takes deep
root i'll the American fancy, twines its
tehdriiS about the heartllSlone OF Amer
ican autnortSSeS ant; even strikes at the
very vitalS of the Four Hundred. it is
not easy TO escape from lis tliall. What
is t:lc secret or its fascination? Why
do its wi!cileriSS stir the latent GYPSY
niocd OF maid and niatron? Why Is it
tiiat ailer seeing 1T We go home and Try
10 hr>SS tie bell button with our toes
ana Wifi cur peiiicOalS over our heads?
Skirt, S:.rpe:tine and butterfly dances
VIII Be more Ill vogue next season than
ever beior,'. That is official and stamped
with seals bearing the crestS of many il
New York belle. Certain importing
houses are bring over the most trains
parent of Silkrii Stuffs for the draperieS
employed iii the Serpelitine dances.
iieSc Are i'Ouc.it BIZ tie dancing teau!l-
WIN I;l S..I than, ft,
pipliS who come 10 their lessons in
laiidauS, tut will hot give their names
and addresses.
You remember slender little Eio:se
Kruger. Jacques kruger'S wife, do YOU
not? The little ere lure, bundle uf
nerves. Il bit OF ftather-i.epled human
ity. wlu began dancing when she was
SIX years old (tilat was before the days
OF Commodore Gerry. ami who danced
up To three years ago III all tie Specta-
cIeS and ballels that ever were heard
OF? We'll. she is responsible for many
OF the skirt AMI rpent:ne dancers
WHO are amusing The public in play
houses, and the very eject i'll the
awful ami inner sirinns OF New York
Suciety. Little Tuesday. jennie Joyce,
Minnie Renwond. Bebe Evans, Marie
Cahil and Dorothy Denniny are few
OF her pupils in Bohemia, while no less
Il parsonage THAN stately and beautiful
Mrs. Cooper Hewitt is one Uf her pupils
in high life.
| driftcd into Nine. Kruger's school
the other morning. and for three hours
was entertained and educated by The in
tricaIe steps and movements OF these
fantastic dances. Imagine large room
with waXed floor and no furniture save
d piano and Il hammock. Along one
side OF the room was a wooden pole sup
ported by brackets. TO this pole the
pupil clings while learning the first
movements. She graSpS the pole with
the right hand, stretches out the left
arm straight from the side, an / then, as
the teacher counts, raises her left leg
and kicks deliberately and with great
precision. Now. most women can kick.
There will, presume, be little dispute
on that point; but Ito they kick with
perfectly stiff knee? Then the pupil is
taught to bend the body to the knee,
but only to bent from the waist. The
hips and knees must be held immova-
bic. The outward and visible signs Of
a natural dancer are the stiff knee and
hips. the foot held with the toes point
ing out, and the instep curved like the
Deak OF a parrot.
When went in, Nine. Kruger was
teaching Il beautiful child in red silk
f1uted skirt and with scarlet ribbons t;e;l
about her slender ankles, little Hazel
Grow, whose talented mother. Josephine
Grow, writes many of the dances to
whose music these fair whiriing der
wishes OF this end Of the century keep
time. Very many children are being
taught these dances. not for public eX-
hiDition, but as means of grace.