New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-01
a WOMAN'S WALK.

THE DANCING MASTERS Po'ITIoN WRONG
1t Is enough to Imagine the unfegned amuzement OF
Dame OF the old school II the proper position Of the
ie't IN Walking were made a matter OF doubt. For
years the dancing masters standard in ali matters II
carriage ana walk has been an unquestoned one The
lin dc slecie young woman, however has a mind OF
her own She has not found that the conventional
training OF the dancing master, valuable as II un.
donbccly is, was asuiicent in producing that grace
OF carriage and elegance OF manner so desirable in
the woman Of the world. On the contrary. she has
found thai the physical training Of the woman Of the
tigc has been NOR, often conducive u the De rCd
Hence it Is that schools Of Dclsartc have sprung I'D all
over The land, and systems OF physical training in
Gliding boxing and fencing heretofore relocated to the
sierner sex. have found pltronesscs In plenty
From the earliest days since the walk and carriage
have been matter Of study 1t has been decided by all
authorities on the subject that the proper position OF
the feet was heels together and lu,s out which is
the present military position. The English rule Is
that the angle at which the should be turned out
on dress parade or In marching Is GO degrees. This
throws the feet Into extremely unnatural pos )n
which Is practically impossible maintain In march
Ing. Tbs Is about the degree which the dancing
master prescribcs To he pupils, and the average we'll
trained woman turns O.t her feet Mt n considerably
less angle about a. degrees. Strange rs 1t NAV seem
very little attention has been given the position OF
the feet at the best physical trimming schools though
the Importance Of the manner VI walking will be ap
pr,ciaNi when II Is known that in certain diseases
plaster east 81 the position OF the feet In walking Is
taken part OF the da .noss. There Is but opln-
ion among ply biologists proper position Of the
feet. and that Is thoroughly opposed to the opinions Of
The dancing master the drill sergeant \ study Of
ancient sculpture will show that no such convent )nG
method OF standing walking was known among The
Greeks Here the feet turned straight ahead. with
no inclination TO the right left. This Is the position
which sculp'ors prescribe for their models the
most natural and graceful one In standing and walk
Ing. Thomas Ellis. Of The highest authorities
IN Il monograph this subject names the II fair
square, position In walking the most easy and
natural one giving the greatest support to the body
with the least cXcrOn In This position the feet
placed straight ahead and the lines Of the foostep
are slightly apart ard parallel This is the light
alert walk Of the Anb and Is different from the
stea,hy step Of the Red Indian While the Indian
holds his feet straight out, he steps that sngle
line could Le drawn through his footprints
DR.. Ellis goes far as to attribute the deormlty Of
fat fooiedncss TO the habal turning out OF the toes
lie calls attention to the arched foot and fine carriage
Of the Arab ~ the result OF his manner OF planting his
feet the ground.
Il do no, doubt said the leading authority OF New
Yorhs fashionable training school for women. that
the most natural position OF the feet In walking Is
straight ahead We devote ourselves here especially
toward developing the chest, and 1t would create con
fusion II We We're 10 attempt ~ make any radical
change In the conventional method OF placing the feet
30 we leave this matter 10 the pupils themselves
Little children, when they first learn To walk
place their tcct straight ahead" Turning out the feet
TO an extreme angle Hike 80 degrees, all know who
fry IN. position produces a wabbling gait. Tho
who walks in the fair square, position, as described
by Dr. Ellis gets over tho ground more rapidly with
the same amount OF exerton