The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-06-09
FAMOUS BALLET DANCERS.
Stories of La Taglioni, Fanny Ellsler
and Lola Montez.

Stories of La Taglioni, Fanny Ellsler
and Lola Montez.
A feature of this years opera season
viii be the revival Of the ballet at
Covent Garden, with Mile. Boni, from
Brussels. as principal dancer.
1t has been asserted that the grand
ballet died when the famous Taglioni
retired in 1S45. At any rate the ballet
to-day is chiefly a spectacle of dresses
and colored line-light. Except for a
very few performers dancing as a
high art has vanished,
There is no one now to set beside La
Taglioni, who was the queen of the
stage sixty years ago, says the London
Daily Mail Balzac introduced her into
his novels. Even Thackery condesccnd-
ed to notice her and declared enthusiasts
tically In THE Newcomes'' that the
young men of the day will never see
anything so graceful as Taglioni in La
Sylphide.' At that time she was the
rage. Stage coaches and greatcoats
lwere named after her,
La Taglioni over her charm to a
wonderful lightness and grace. Her
| style was rather ideal than realistic
and voluntuous, as was then the vo-
que The hideous ballet skirt of to-day
she never wore, but shirt that reach
ed nearly to her ankles. 1t was one Of
| the principles of her father, who taught
her all she learned Of the art, that the
dancer should be modest in dress, in
movement and in expression.
| Another famous master, who called
himself lie Dieu de la Danse," always
told his pupils to use all the coquetry
they could
| Vestris, who founded the famous
Vestria family, was an eighteenth CEN
fury celebrity, and quite remarkably
conceited even for dancer. There are
but three great men alive" he used to
say, myself, the Prussian Frederick
and Voltaire.' ut is interesting to
compare Southey's remark that a male
dancer deserves to be hamstrung.) That
| UIOLGSSlOII VI WlllClt llC was ~ PAJO0 A9g
indeed, an arduous one. Vestris used to
practise for about six hours a day. A
dancer must be extremely strong and
supple.
| A curious story is told about Fanny
| Ellsler, & German dancer with coal
black hair, which illustrates the ex-
IRENE muscular strength dancer ac-
/ quires. She was crossing to America
when she entered her cabin one day
and discovered a thief abstracting the
Jewel case which she kept hidden under
her pillow. Before he could attack
she planted her foot full in his chest
and killed him on the spot
1t is curious that no English woman
has ever achieved supreme success as
dancer. 1t is possible, as foreigners
assert that they lack the dramatic
gift. 1t is certain that lifelong devo-
tion and arduous apprenticeship are
essential to any expression through the
medium of dancing The rats the be-
ginners at the Paris Opera, are articled
for five years, and then unless they
have danced from their cradle they
cannot hope to attain the first rank.
Another quality essential to the great
dancer in infinite patience. The onl.
English dancer who ever gave promise
Of attaining the front rank failed IN
this respect, Lola Montez was the some
what foreign name she had taken. She
lost her temper one day with the man
ager at rehearsal and expressed he's
| feelings SO dramatically as to break an
umbrella over his head. Managers will
endure much for Arts saks; but this
was to much.
Carlotta Grisi is another famous
name Of the old Opera 1t was she
who first introduced the polka into
England--a Bohemian dance that came
to stay. 1t was for her, too, that
Heine, Gautier and Adolphe Adam
collaborated in writing "Giselle."
There were a score more famous
names that were familiar words in
those days. OF the twelve leading dam
GERS engaged at the Kings Theatre in
1924 for a two months season five were
sufficient attraction to receive more
than $1,000 each