The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-01-06
ICE SKATING AS AN ART.
Miss Fannie Davidson Talks of 1t
and Describes Fancy Movements.

ana Describes FanCy MONeneltS.
Althou Gin the eagle may soar heavenward
with statelineSs and the turkey buzzard
skate ma jestically on the tips Of his wings
| upon a strata of upper atmosphere, yet
when it comes to gliding ma jestically long
smooth courses Of frozen Potomac or any
| other water man can give the birds Of
the air pointers OF which they never
| dreamed.
Not alone is the human body capable of
| treading the dizzy waltz on a waxed sur
face, but It can glide moiseleSSly ever
the ice in a hundred complicated cvUiu-
tons When the novice, trembling ana
apprehensive, sets foot on the treacherous
ice he does n OF think of performing forth
with series of curves that shall call
down upon his shoulders a Niagara of
applause. No He is supremacy happy il
he can keep the center OF gravity between
| his skates and his personality at "a rcas-
enable standstill.
II is related of the Hon. Hoke Smith,
former Secretary of the Interior, that
when he entered the skating arena under
the expansive roof of the Ice Palace his
feet paused a moment as if in lrlibera-
tiou and then suddenly aud without
personality of the Secretary upon the ice.
There is a wild legend running loose
that on the downfall the stateSman's right
leg pointed straight to Nebraska, while
his left limb made for his native State Of
Georgia. Not to enter into politics at
this point, it will suffice to say that the
Secretary abandoned the scene and went
home to repent of his rashneSS in thus test
ing the laws of adhesion and grayitation.
1t is such a fall as the foregoing that
takes the pride and vainglory out of the
would-be astonisher ON skates. He soon
comes to realize that as it was necessary
to creep before he could walk, so it is
essential that he learn the straightaway
course before he can master the curves that
elevate the professional to the topmost
round of ice palace fame.
In acquiring the straightaway skating
trick it is necessary to keep the skates well
under control and retain the body in a
graceful and lax position, and to strike out.
This much was learned from one of the
instructors at the Ice Palace, who further
assured The Times reporter today that
afterlearningtos skate in the simple Stra ght-
away fashion it all depends upon the learner
whether he Will succeed in the more COM
plicated movements. The instructors We're
unanimous in the opinion that after the
first step the progress of the pupil depends
mainly upon himself
Miss Fannie Davidson, sister of Mabel
Davidson, whom the skating public remem-
Der with pleasure, was seen by a Times
reporter at her coy, temporary home on
K street In response to an inquiry with re-
gard to the gentle art of skating, Miss Da-
wilson corroborated the views of the in
structors, and added that, in her opinion,
it is almost impossible TO acquire the diff
cult curves without keen observance of the
best skaters and constant practice.
Miss Davidson gave her vie of the grada-
ton of difficult figures, as follows:
Outer edge, forward and ok ward; Dutch
roll, forward AMI back ward; inner edge,
forward and back ward; bishop, eight turns
and field movement; serpentines; grape
vines, with Philadelphia twist; plumbyine;
grinding the bar; change of edge; roll for
ward and back ward; figure Fights; anvil
and Maltese crosses; Fights with whirls;
toe spins, toe Fights, etc; on to Richmond.
forward and backward.
Miss Davidson is brunette whose man.
ner is as charming as tits cordial She is
undecided as yet whether she will ac-
cept an engagement here next week or not.
Her dates are in the hands of her brother
Harley.
1t is her present intention upon leaving
this city to go to New York, Brooklyn
and Buffalo, where she has engagements
to fill in the next four weeks
Miss Davidson has met with marked sue
cess since her debut in professional skat-
ing circles, and bids fair to rival her popu-
lar sister Mabel, who is now storning
British hearts in London.