The evening world., 1894-07-11
INE AS the MIDWAY
|rm du Ventre Given at the
Imperial Music Hall
.orI,sd Under the Name Of the
"Honolulu."
-, Too, in the Heart Of the
Tenderloip District.

~. Great Original Honolulu Dance
.l,led Ls one of the attractions at the
s,rial Music Hall, and has become
nsrsons not connolsseurs In the many
nches Of terpsichorean art which have
,nt,y confused even those whose dis
nina ton Is the result OF persistent
N, there l., a strange and particularly
IA similarity In this dance Of alleged
sfc Island origin to the prescribed
Inse du ventre."
bf course. the authority Of the man.
fsr1ent should be taken as final on the
.stion. and the line announcing the
.waiian extraction of the series of
,erings and contortions which make
ine act should be sufficient to allay
pient comparison. Yet there Is a
ething, or rather, a whole lot of
ethings, about 1t that is distinctly
mscent OF the Midway Plaisance,
d pipe so entirely identified with
harem dance displayed at Chicago
I'D, again, there occurs to the average
tator who is not thoroughly up-to
e that Sandwich Islanders are no,
lstomed to garb themselves In the
Sebby attire of the odalisque of the
mt. But perhaps this Is only an
! instance of the license INDUCED in
b IS permit a Hamlet to carry an
iona dirk in lieu Of a dagger and a
i've South African belle to sport pink
shell-like ears.
! owever all these arguments may ar.
icy themselves before the confused mind
III him who seeks vainly to classify and
|tehne modern spectacular dances. there
ID definite suspicion that Mile. lara
fep: oduces the danse du ventre In its
familiar phase. and also dread lest
ihe surcingle. which alone seems 10 con-
fne the major portion of her raiment
might give way under the contortions
to which she subjects that portion of
her body Immediately beneath 1t.
The fs s15 Is pa nssa Had Il y 9s z4sa and
eording to the bills. Hadj performs first
an endurance uance,' which, despite its
Ha waiian extraction. Is exactly the
vhirl Of the dervisn. While her partner
lara is beating methodically upon an
Instrument resembling vase with a
drum stretched over 1t. All this
time she sits stolidly and imperturbed,
v though rapid motion were an impossi.
Then comes her turn, and Hadj
cheriff takes up the reed and distends
lis cheeks while It walls and gurgies
he woody notes or the danSe du Ventre.
lara Is clad in costume which would
not need the doffing Of many ounces to
ransform her into a living picture OF
Venus In her birthday dress. A pair OF
Persian trousers. reach from her hips
o her ankles, their material being
gauze. The customary
Trdle. which passes far below the waist
, front, sustains the bifurcated veil
ng. The upper portion of her body is
ncased in pink stockinet. fitting as
houfders is the usual short Jacket.
les witch convulsively. her head be-
Ens to sway, while her feet keep time
n a shifting motion. Gradually the
movement extends throughout her body
md the customary abdominal contor-
ions are gone through. The dance con-
dudes with a simulated aba ndon of pas
ton as the dancer falls half-swooning
10 the floor. An encore Is quite the
usual thing.
Manager Kraus, of the Imperial. was
asked by an Evening World" reporter
II the alleged Honolulu lance" was not
thc danse du ventre.
Not at all" he replied. There Is alb
.olute.y nothing Objectionable about the
the programme. Why, lara is completely
clothed from head to foot. She even
ankles"
He made no attempt to reconcile the
fact that the Hawaiian dance was per-
formed in Oriental costume, nor does he
ssy how an Egyptian happens to appear
with the danseuSe.