Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-20

HIIiAHAN1N uiC LOW pCOpiC WiiO uO iOb
enjoy the good acrobatic feats as
performed at the circus or vaude
vile theater. An afternoon spent under
the canvas may recall to many staid
man of business a time when he car
ried water for the elephants. There is
still enough sparkle in the spangles to
make such feats continuous play day.
1t will come as surprise to many
to learn that the tricks are learned by
a majority of the performers in an un-
attractive, dusty New York gymna-
stun. 1t is here, however, that men
and women invent, practice and perfect
new and startling acts. 1t is a verit-
able danger school,
In this danger school are many queer
looking pieces of stage furniture-bars.
ladders, coils of rope, tables and heavily
built chairs. This is practice furniture.
1t is not attractive to look at, as there
is very little paint on it, the work
having chipped it off; some of it to the
initiated looks very insecure and one
would think is about to fall apart. This
practice furniture is stored in the gym
hdolOII- IL IIdy Dt IellItQ Dy IIlS
fessional people who must have some
place to practice in. This saves the
carting of a great deal of cumbersome
stuff about the town from theater to
school and back again.
The school is very large room.
Nearly all the light comes from an
opening in the middle of the ceiling.
Around this square of glass hang many
trapezes. In one corner iron rings are
suspended. Horizontal bars fill an
other space. These bars are on steel
frames, and when not in use can be
conveniently slowed away. Tight ropes
suspended from movable platforms are
placed in another corner. This arrange
ment leaves a large space clear for the
jugglers and tumblers.
Use of the "Mechanics''
From the ceiling are suspended long
ropes, These run over pulleys. and are
known to the professional world as
mechanics" Without a mechanic"
the beginner would be at sea. He would
have to expend just again as much time
and energy to master some feat in
balancing. The "mechanic" is an ap-
paratus unknown to the circus per-
former of long ago.
There is hardly trick practiced in |
which the rope does not play a part. |
1t bangles from the ceiling to the floor.
On the bars the performer has it fas-
tened to his belt, and by it he is saved
from many fall. In tight rope work
1t is held in the hands and steadies the
scholar. Without it the gymnasium
would be continually in need of sur
geon's service.
Every beginner is introduced to the |
"mechanic" and then to the 'flip-hap."
This ''fip-fiap" is very effective piece
of work, and though unknown to almost |
every audience is something of which
people do not easily tire. The "hip-
flap" is spring backward to the hands
then the same movement forward to the
hands. 1t is just exactly what it is
called, a ''fip-hap."
To accomplish, this, then is the first
lesson. A belt is buclSled about the
pupils waist. To each side of it is
fastened a rope, the ends of the rope
being held by two men, trainer and
his assistant. The pupil bounds for
ward and touches his hands to the
floor; then the men jerk the rope, and
with the pupils assistance and spring
he is sent backward, his hand touching
the floor. This is repeated every day
until he has enough control over his
to dispense with the ropes and
can practice alone. In the beginning
he has not the strength in the muscles
of his back nor the elasticity OF joints
to enable him to do this without the
belt.
In the old school this pupil would
first have been taught to "slSin the
cat" or chin bar. but this new
method tends to strengthen and make
the muscles pliable. The old style only
Anew pupil is plunged. as II were. into
the midst of dificult work. He is per-