The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-24

sides, the dancer holds it out fiat in front of her. Keeping 1t flat, she must raise and lower 1t as high and as low as possible. The body must be perfectly erect during all this.
 Not until these exercises are learned is the pupil permitted to take up those which call for the bending of the trunk. They are many and difficult They in- volve wonderful swayings backward, quite as wonderful. bendings forward.
 Holding the fan at the extreme point of the handle with one hand only, 1t is lifted high above the head. Then with a great sweeping bend of the body 1t is brought forward and downward until it touches the floor. At the same time the body comes down to a squatting position and the forehead Is bent nearly to the floor. After, three times repeating this the fan is changed to the other hand. Three is the magic number in Japan. Finally. 1t Is clasped by both hands and the body comes down as before. Then the fan is waved slowly from side to side before the body muscles are permitted to straighten themselves out again.
 Many steps are executed with the fan similar to those given with the umbrella. With the spread fan resting against the breast, the little maiden runs lightly for ward and backward on her crossed feet. To the accompaniment of the same step she carries 1t aloft, one corner of it point ed upward, while she waits it lightly to picture the falling blossoms of the plum tree. Far back over her shoulder 1t droops like the petals of the willing iris while she sways from side to side in rhythm with the sad samisen music that tells of the fading beauties of the year.
 It is no easy matter to hold the open fan flat as if 1t were tray, and in this position keep 1t moving in a circle about the body. It must be passed from hand to hand, of course. When 1t comes to the rear, 1t is difficult not to spoil the circles plane by dropping the arms so as to let the flat fan tip. The teacher fre- quently piles flower petals on the fan and addresses a sharp scolding to any un- fortunate little girl who is clumsy enough to spill them on the floor. No girl in Japan ever cries at such a scolding. She is trained to an outward stoicism that serves from her babyhood to old age.
 When you are practising this exercise. in imitation of Miss Japan. wheel the fan five ffmes in one direction, then. as many in the other.
 Sometimes the pupils are given two fan exercises, in which they take fan in each hand. then go through motions that call TOT perIecL pOlSe ana grace. outstretching the fans laterally, they raise them to the shoulder then upward vertically. to the shoulders again. and out.
 Raise one fan to the back of the head while Stretching the other outward lateraliy. Reverse.
 Raise both fans to the top of the head at once. Held them so that they will point to the front. Turn them so that they face outward. Drop them to the sholders. Outstretch them laterally. Then to the head again and so on.
 "Thn Freezes in the Plum Blossoms" is the name of the most beautiful of all the figures. and one that Is held out to advanced pupils as a reward for we'll learned lessons. The plum, you know, Is sacred and beloved blossom that signifies all good things to the Japanese. Perhaps this has something to do with the pupils fondness for the figure, but it Is more likely that, being human, they find 1t a deal of fun to be turned loose to play with the lovely petals. The teacher sets them waiting through the air, then at three sharp raps from the handle of her fan the girls begin to set them flying. Such a game would in all probability turn into a go-as-you-please romp with little Americans. but not so with the polite little ladies of the islands.