The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-11
The CAKE WALK.
Billy Farrell 0iscouTses on Its
Original Beauty.
In Recent Years, He Declares, Il Has
Greatly 0egeneTaied.

suppose understand what cake walking
ISL asked Billy Farrell, whose success
in vaudeville has been not less pro-
nounced than that he had previously
won, under the patronage OF New York $
| 4oo' as a cake-walker and who has
the distinction OF having introduced
eake-walking i'm England, where IL has
become a fad with the nobility and Far
reli himself and his pretty muatto wife
nave been generously patronizei by
lords and ladies Of high degree.
| ~ Cake-walking as II is known In the
NoIth, continued Mr.. Farrell. as he
adt IN ms cosy dressing at Keith s
was real art "A few years ago, when
chesterfield and Beau Brumme might
e"sIy have been imagined applauding
it from the shades but IL has gradually
oegenerated into an industry. and by
, some has been so burlesqued and strip
pea or It's original beauty and grace as
| 10 De scarcely recognizable today. For
merly, cakewalk meant a procession
or elegantly attired ladies and gentle
men walking around a room, arm-in-
arm, in dignified immobility and polish
ed grace, each striving to bear himself
with ease and firm, elastic tread. Too
oIttn, nowadays, especially IN some
stage presentations, a cakeWalk seems
10 be kind of combination OF South
Sea Island hula-hula, South American
cOombamba. Italian tarantelle and
irish reel, with some acrObatic pyro-
technics thrown i'm by way OF variety.
THE genuine. original cakewalk is a
love story told I'm pantomimic dance; n
minuet illustrative OF the meeting. the
fiifitauon, the wooing and the winning.
revival OF the old peacock wooing' OF
slavery days. when ft was full OF mean
ing; and il may also be said 20 be a
custom, rite and an entertainment all
in one
in the old -bellum days, when
the slaves of adjoining plantations met
IN some torchlit cabin with sandsd floor
for 'iamborees To carve the 'pOssum.
taste the per-immon. dance and sing
The good old-time negro melodies the
Cakewalk was the chief diversion, in
which not only did the various couples
compete for the prize cake. but the
bucks had an opportunity publicly to
show their preference for their faVOrite
WanChes and 10 WOO. win and wed
them, al by "A single process. There
were few marriages by license i'm those
days: and the cakewalk was their
'hand-fasting' ceremony. Terpsichore
officiated I'm place OF Hymen: and TO the
enticements Of the cake and the bride
was added the Zest OF the fame which
heralded the victorious antagonists for
miles around.
Such was the cakewalk in its integ-
rity; and though IL has no-y lost much
OF its original charm and significance.
even among the colOred people them
selves. especially in the North. yet i'm
the modern elaboration or the walk
there remain traces Of the original idea
Nevertheless. / have found by expert
ence that very few persons know what
that idea was. In the CakeNal king done
by my wife and myself | think you will
see IL quite plainly. FOR while we have
modern.zed and elaborated the walk.
We have yet endeaVored so 10 avoid
burlesque or the grOtesque as TO retain
the central idea and original sentiment
and pOctical flavor OF the art; ana. If
you will pardon me. l think our success
is due largely TO that fact. You certain
~ would not eXpeIb the leaders of So
ciety and fashion in New York or in
London TO patronize and adopt as a fad
yes and even TO study as they have
under my tuition-the grotesque. out
landishness and senseless contortgOns
that sometimes masquerade undeIwthe
name Of cakewalking
The Farrells are typical OF the high
est development of their race. irtell-
gent, refined and thoroughly charming
in their personality; and an interview
with them, no matter what the sub
jeCts discussed. is a delightful expert
ence. The attention they have received
In England Is quite exceptional. and on
their last visit there they opened a
school OF cakewalking which was pat
ronized by the most fashionable set I'm
tie English metr0pol :. rhey viii return !
there after completing their engage
menc on the Keith circuit. ana their
coming is already heralded in the Eng
lish newspapers as one of the great !
c:Cuts of the ,nGsic hall season
Billy is "A fine specimen OF physical !
developments, whose eyes twinkle with !
humor, and whose every movement is !
that of a Chesterfeld and Will'e. re- |
@arLless of color is admitta jly ono II /
the handsome women Of vaudeville. She /
is a native OF Trinidad. West Indies. OF |
very color. with lustrous black eyes |
and complexion that well may excite |
the envy OF her fairer sist ers. There is |
a generous strain OF French blood i'm |
her veins. She joins the African warmth |
TO French cOquetry with something OF |
The savage freedom OF the West Ind an |
dark life; and the composite result is /
astonishing ana -%AA-lfrt--t
all the dainty airs and graces and the |
that such a combination could /
produce. with vet the mdolence of the |
and i'm her stage ~ s.
nrce. especially In cake walking. she
displays and exercises these charms n |
manner hardly scriSable-allurng.
bewitchirg ana 1hnost sen I
suous. and yet without the slightest
suspicion Of suCgc stivoness. hut with
he most refined delicacy.
Those who have seen the Farrells can
-asilv understand their success. Those |
vho have not can hardly have any idea
" the true character and significance !
rf h. "a L In fe ffafn