The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-07
DANSE DU VENTRE.
New York Police Break Up The Chi
caSO-CaiTO Exhibition.

Dance to the decision or Commit
tee of Ministers.
From the New York Sun
The danse du ventre, which was one of
the features of the worlds fair at Chica-
"a. and which is said to haveobJained the
endorsement of a large number of the
hoard of lady managers, was declared by
the police last night to be unfit for New
York audiences, and unless the courts
should interfere it will not be produced
here again.
Ii was toward the latter end of the
thirteenth performance given in this city
that the police interfered, and if the
superstition about the number thirteen
exists III Cairo. whence the dance is said
to have come, probably they will lay the
interruption to that
The dance has been the main feature of
an exhibition given at the Grand Central
Palace The notoriety which il received
at Chicago and the description printed of
II had attracted a very large crowd: in
fact. so eager were many of the visitors
that on several occasions they wrecked
the ticket Office.
The room in which the dance was pre-
scuted was on the third floor, and in the
eastern wing. and had been decorated
with red and white Turkish cloth. A
stage had been constructed at the further
end and several hundred wooden chairs
filed the space in the auditorium.
The programme in which the danse du
ventre was included occupied only about
three-quarters of an hour, and five per-
fOrmanceS were arranged for each night
The first performance was given last
night, beginning at s o'clock, without any
mishap, and while this was going on q
double line was formed outside of the
eager visitors
At no time were there fewer than 200
people in line. Most of the people were
well dressed and respectable in appear
ance, and a number were accompanied by
ladies', some of whom were gray haired.
The number of disreputable looking
persons in the crowd was proportionately
much less than gathers at the average
respectable theatrical performance.
From the comments heard IL was appar-
emit that not more than half had any ade-
quate idea of what the dance du ventre is
Those who had an idea looked at those
who hadn with smiles that were signih-
cant. .....--.
\ tall negro, who was called a Nubian
eunUch by the management, guarded the
door There was another inside, who
stood around and occasionally steered
people, when they tried to go through
doors that would not open. Both were
dressed in gaudy uniforms ornamented
with Oriental tinsel.
Once inside, the FOUNDERS became very
impatient and exhibited a desire to guy
everybody who appeared to be connected
with the management or the company.
While they were in the midst of audible
comments and smokers, the tall form of
Police Inspector Williams was seen in the
doorway.
He forced his way through the crowd
and took seat at the right of the main
aisle two rows from the stage. With him
was PoliceCaptain BerghOld, of the Grand
Central station. Both were in citizens
clothing. Not far away We're two de-
tectives also in citizens clothes.
At 8 o'clock one of the dancers walked
across the stage amid hooking applause
from the FOUNDERS. Five minutes later
The band, consisting of four pieces,
climbed up on a long divah at the rear of
the stage. They all wore Turkish cos
TUNES, including the turbans. In the
center was scowling gigantic Turk with
a gray mOuStache and violin.
AT his left was a man with lutte, at
his right a man with an ordinary tam
BOURNE, and beyond him one with an in
strument that was called a tarbOuka.
This band struck up a mOurnful air, and
thcreupOn the dancers appeared, They
also climbed on the divan, two on each
side of the band. ..-...
AT the extreme right was F'atma, a
much-faded woman in striped dress
and a waist covered with tinsel and med
ais. Next to her sat the star dancer, the
prima donna, who is called Ferida She
is said to be the wife of a Cairo phys
iciau.
She has pretty face and large, lus-
IL
waist was similar to that of kattna, but
1t extended down only short distance
ana beneath this was a silk-ribbed waist
that fitted close to the skin. She had
bright skirt decorated with much tinsel
and medals.
At the extreme left was very pretty
blond named Stella. She had a com
pleXiOn as fair as child's and red cheeks
that did not look as if they were painted
She wore yellow satin Turkish trousers
and fancy waist. Next to her was
fora, the youngest of the four, who was
rather pretty and had long black hair.
The first to perform was Fora. She
arose with dainty piece ofwhite lawn
IN each hand Her initial steps were
Very graceful, and there was evident dis
appointment on the part Of some in the
audience. 1t was quickly followed, how
ever, by the dance du ventrc, Her pre-
Sentation OF this was mild compared with
that of the others, but nevertheless the
women in the audience began to look I'M
easy, and some of the more boisterous
men INDUCED in eXclamatiOns.t Inspector
Williams watched attentively. but his
lace was eXpressionless. The second
cancer was Stella, and her action was
much more rapid
Then came t'atma, and at her perform
ancc many of the women averted their
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