The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-17

dance just as there is a personality be- hind the makeup of a character actor. My dance has never been successfully initiated. If some one gets the step for while he lacks my long nose or long arms or long legs to make 1t go. It is a comedy dance and you will notice they call me the man with the funny legs. 1 dance with every bone i'll my body. 1 dance with my eyes and my mouth and my nose and my fingers. My whole body enters into the rythm of the dance. The public nowadays demands comedy In everything that is offered before the footlights. l study to amuse, and sea son after season l get laugh. My dance is to the old clog what the cakewalk is to the old French minuette.
 Aside from the quiet, stately minuette from which 1t is evolved, the cakewalk is the only dance that the spectators can carry in his mind, for it forms q distinct picture, in fact is episodical In character You will find that my dance stands out in silhouette. Seldom is the waltz introduced upon the stage. While the waltz is typical of ease and grace, it falls flat when presented before the footlights When the waltz is given upon the stage it degenerates into a burlesque. The cakewalk Is a burlesque of the minu- cite and is a burlesque in the true sense of the word. A burlesque should carry some of the features of the object or character that is being initiated, for with out the earmarks of the original 1t loses the element to charm. The cakewalk has the characteristic features of the minu- cite, for it savers of the state and dignity of the old French dance, while having attributes distinctly its own, It is a combination of the slow, quiet move ments of the minuette and the relaxation and freedom given by the old plantation negro. The stiffness that comes from the dignity of the French dance has been relieved by the comedy the negro has given 1t.
 The cakewalk is the only ensemble dance in which there is an element of humor It Is a comedy dance. Its humor is broad. though always softened by the stateliness and grace handed down from the original dance It is as democratic as the American street piano, and it's movement is invigorating. It is a tonc It is well adapted to the stage because of it's freedom of movement and lack of theatricalism, an attribute that tends to enter into other dances because of certain formality that characterises them when presented upon the stage My dance has some of the clements of the cakewalk in it. Its prime character istic is comedy. It is done in silhouette and there is general relaxation of the body
 "Is your dance a nerve dancer" was asked.
 NO. My dance Is executed from the hips, and the whole body is as limp as a dishrag. It is entirely different from the clog dance, which was so closely sociated with minstrelsy In the old days The clog dance was executed by the nerves. The old-time clog dancer held his nerves as tight as the strings of drum. You can recall the vibrations of his wooden shoes upon the stage, can you not? Each sound made by the shoe was a serve vibration. The public was en- tertained by the sound rather than by the action or attitude on the part of the dancer. What has been the result? Near ly all of the clog dancers have died of consumption. The strain upon the nerves was too great"
 Do you think the clog dance will ever be introduced again?' he was asked.
 'HThere may be demand for 1t later; but not now. The crying demand is for comedy, and there must be some distinct picture formed in the mind of the audi enee. Thus our act The Head Waiter, is significant of something. In fact, 1t is a sketch with bits of business an in- troduction and a conclusion. It is a danc- ing act touched over with humor and em bellished to meet the demands of the times.
 ''The public is becoming more exacting from year to year. The old-time song and dance act would not be tolerated. What if I were to come before the loot- lights, scatter 8 few grains of sand over the boards and execute a dry, unvarn- ished clog dance. It would not go.' There must be color and atmosphere in a dance before the audience just as there is in any dramatic offering. l have recog- nized this fact for a long time. You will observe that there is expression in