The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-13
DANCES WITH FOUR LEGS.
Novel and Entertaining Performance
by New York Dancar.
From the Mem York World


From the Ne.U York World.
A young woman appeared on the stage
short TINS ago and danced with three legs.
Two of them were her own personal prop
erty, but the third was q part of the par
aphernalia of the theatre. 1t was d false
leg, especially constructed for the occasion,
which was to show how absurd dance
with one more than the normal number of
legs would be. The young woman was Miss
May Robson, and she was SO clever in the
manipulation of the extra leg that her dauce
has been a great success. 1t was 80 great a
success, in fact, that rival managers began
to envy her manager, Mr.. Frohman, and to
cast about for devices which would prove
even more attractive. Frederick Solomon,
who sings, acts, leads the orchestra, writes
music and makes himself otherwise gener-
ally useful at the concert hall Of Roster q
Bal, this city, ct last hit upon the happy
idea OF adding still further TO the number of
legs. He saw the third leg devised by Man
ager Frohman aud went him one better.
In other words he raised him leg. IL his
scheme proves as successful as 1t promises,
there is reason to expect that in the future
we shall have dances with legs innumsrabls.
and that Whenever it is desired to add TO the
sttractiyeness OF a performance, 1t will be
necessary merely to increase the total num-
Der Of legs, instead of making changes ia
the costumes or in the steps and poses.
The person who is to try this novel ez-
pertinent tomorrow night is Miss Ruth
Ward. Miss Ward has been singing and
dancing on the stage of Roster & Bial's for
the past nine months, and has reached that
desirable stage of progress where she can
perform the split with much spirit and
abandon. Miss Ward recently gave a
private rehearsal Of the new alleged dance
for the special observation Of q World
artist and reporter.
The chief charm about Mr.. Solomon's in-
vention is its simplicity. IL Is quite easy TO
understand how these unusual appliances
work. Miss Ward first took careful meas
urements, which were supplied to a Mr..
Brahmann, q gentleman who makes a
speciality of constructing novel stage prop
critics. Mr.. Brahmann has made all of the
various dragons aud other wild monsters
that have appeared at the Metropolitan
opera house OF late years. He ia also said to
have built the heifer in the hind legs of
which Henry Dixey made his debut before
the public. He is used to receiving orders
80 make all sorts OF curious contrivapoes.
and was not at oil surprised when
he got the plans for the
legs. He made a mold strictly accord
ing to the requirements, aud turned out q
pair of legs which were exact copies of the
papier maohe, and are very light, weighing
three pounds each. Tho part at the hips
is scOOped out, so that they may flo closely
to the body. A belt is worn around the
waist, and to this belt the attachments are
fastened by two hinges. When Miss Ward
dances she wears an empire gown which
has very high waist, like q baby's, and
which allows free play for the extra legs
The belt to which they are fastened is sew
eral inches below this empire waist, and is,
OF course, hidden by the outer skirts.
1t the knee of each false log is a spring.
This spring has tendency to throw the
lower part Of the leg outward whenever the
skirt is raised. When the dancer stands
still the weight of the skirt resting on the
foot holds the leg in, or down. The extra
legs are, OF course, attired just as the real
ones are.
Miss Ward wears number Of UNDER
skirts, which greatly add to the effective
ness OF the dance. There are seventy yards
OF lace All of these skirts except ole are
worn between the real and false legs, and
tho remaining one just beneath the outer
skirt. This is of red silk, accordion style,
and Just clears the floor.
The way IN which the false legs are at
tached to the body admits of their being
easily operated. Thus, when Miss Ward
raises one Of her real feet from tho flocr
thereby bending the knee slightly, the false
leg attached to that side of the body pro-
trudes outward. And then il the outer
skirt be lifted q trihe the lower part OF the
leg will be forced upward and outward by
means OF the spriug fastened at the knee.
The burlesQue effects are obtained by NOV
ing the real legs about in various directions
now aud then lifting the outer skirt. The
false legs act in the manner indicated above
end the result is highly interesting. II may
be said here that there is nothing indecent
= Il - II. - Il
mon intended it to be, q burlesque on the
varlousst les Of French dances now in vogue
The French quadrille dancers, for example,
are won't 20 lift their feet TO the
side of the head and to perform the split and
other acrobatc feets. Each OF these can be
excelled by means of the now device. Miss
Ward Is not only able 10 lift both legs
simultaneously to the sides OF her head, but
keeps th5m there for considerable time
while she performs little step with her
real feet. And in doing tho split very
humorous effect is obtained by extending
the false legs out at right angles to the
others by moving them about with the
hands.
When the dancer first appears on the stage
she sings a song about a young man who
has promised to meet her at the garden gate
and who he's not yet put in an appearance.
She then begins to dance about in q quiet
manner, occasionally kicking her real feet
out behind and lifting her SKIRT. The false
legs then stick out in a startling way
in every direction, sometimes behind, again
10 front and now at the sides. The reporter
saw Miss Ward do the dance first without
and then with the extra legs. The first per-
Torrance was quite mild, the steps being
the simple one familiar to ell concert-hall
goers. But as soon as the other legs are
donned the change is remarkable. The
dancer seems to be involved in a perfect
frenzy Of legs. Doubtless when Miss Ward
becomes more familiar with her work she
will add pleasing features from time to
time. As 1t is. the dance is quite engaging
and clever satire on the modern passion
for novelty.