The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-19


test of all premieres of the ballet, and yet
there are not fifty alive today who can
gracefully accomplish it. Training IN
dancing and the ballet movement must
have been commenced almost in infancy
to make ii possible for danseuse to stand
on her first toe. There are 800 or 400 who
have approached success. and probably
several hundred coryphees who have fairly
initiated the act but the number who at
tain perfection must always be small An
toinetta Bella and Franciscina Paris are
queens in the realm-thank you much.
Monsieur, trust / merit the comparison.
Are my shoes stiffened to prevent the
toe from bending? All. monsieur see for
yourself. They are perfectly phable.. We
import them from Europe, many pairs at
time, and never wear them more than
twice. This has been worn but once. VIII
monsieur do me the honor TO accept 1t as
q souvenir?
Are my feet callous and misshapen
All, monsieur. you are mocking me-"
In a twinkling the scissors had clipped
off the foot of her stocking. presenting to
view ravishng foot. as soft and white as
q babes. Mademoiselle could better afford
to sacrifice her pretty silk hose than to
rest under cloud of suspicion.
ITO convince monsieur that L do not
need the support of a shoe"-the agile
fairy sprang upon table and dazzling,
dizzy whirl corroborated her assertion.
The public who has never seen pirouette
executed on the point of dainty Pick toes
knows nothing OF the poetry of motion.
1.-The serpentine dance" resumed mad
emoiselle, as her audience recovered
breath "is done above the waist. Ger
tainly the feet are kept in motion, but IN
the fantastic sensuous movement OF the
body, the graceful throwing of the arms
and the clever poise OF the head lies the
charm of the dance. In fact. the mead
plays almost as important part as the
feet in all dances. With an adroit turn it
can be made to emphasize u movement
| and bring it out in bold relief. 1t should
be used with discretion, however, like an
artists vivid colors.
"The skirt dance is graceful. Oh. yes,
! rapid movement great texibility and an
artistic appreciation of the value of dra-
perry, together with an artfully artless air
| of abandon. The steps count for little. a
! toe dancer can easily do both the serpen-
| tine and skirt dance. They demand really
/ no more grace than IS possessed by any
| coryphee in the front rank. Do you know
one skirt or serpentine dancer who has the
skill requisite for the toe dance? L am
| sure you do not.
THE range of taste in the matter of
| toilet has many advantages in these mod
ern dances While apparently revealing,
/ they do conceal so much. Amelia Glover
| employs eighty yards of tulle on her I'M
/ derskirts alone. She wears three, made of
/ the softest China silk. They have each
| two very full LOUNGES of Iulle, both on the
upper ard under sides. The skirt of her
! dress measures fourteen yaros In width,
| and is of some soft. light material. The
! first underskirt is always very prudently
! caught together just below the knee, so
| that however daring the kick with which
| she fascinates her admirers her skirts
/ never fall ont of place.
| "A premiere's skirts are constructed on
/ a number of well-iitted yokes IN the same
1 way She has trunks made especially Tor
/ their transportation, In which they are
carefully spread out. and nothing else IS
| ever packed with them.
/ ''rhe process of dressing is necessarily an
| affair of great care. The under tights must
I be so adjusted that the slices are sure TO be
/ IN their proper places. The silk tights
ought never to be pat on without careful
| inspection. A broken stitch, prelude to
a jacobs ladder can work ruinous havoc.
Imagine just as one gets her cue, perceiv-
! ing running stitch. Before the dance is I'm
ished it Will have run up and down many
times. The tights Will be wreck. How
can one smile effectively under such cir
/ Cumstances?
| ''Oh. yes, the smile is an indispensable
! part OF the performance. but il must be a
/ smile that wins, that Is personal, not bit
I of mechanism. IL is an art, certainly,
| monsieur.
There are many things that may occur
/ to rattle danseuse, but nothing quite so
/ disturbing as a sudden change of musical
! conductors. We rehearse with the orches-
| ira and the regular conductor adapts the
, time TO our movements, holding the notes
| for telling poise or acceerating them
for dizzy whirI. If from any cause his
| place has been filed by stranger who has
| not yet studied our points and conducts
! according 10 written time IT IS almost
| enough 10 ruin the dance.
The applause? All, monsieur, it is an
| inspiration. IL raises us quite OIL our feet
! TIL we iloat in the clouds.
The costumes? OF course q premiere
| provides her own, and they are not mex
| pensive II they are abbreviated. For Z
| grand uallet they are designed by an art.
Ist and executed by q skillful costume!
from his plates. may add, IN whisper
| that for most of the great spectacular
PLAYS produced In America the imported
costumes SO extensively advertised are
procured secondhand from the Alhambra
IN London.
Now, monsieur, l think you have
solved every mystery, but | must bee
that III communicating your discoveries u
curious public You Will conceal my
name. for | fear nay sisters in the proies
sion would rudeiy resent the revelation Of
the stage secrets"
Il Is sad TO deprive the readers Of tina
most pleasing information. They vii
/ Doubtless readily divine that !, was thC
secrets of her sisters, not her own, 50 can
d!d!y revealed. To Improve" mademoi
sel!e would be ''to paint the lily"