The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-20
FAMOUS BALLET DANCERS.
Stories of La Tagiioni, Fanny Ellsler and
Lola M0ntez.

Stories of La Tegiioni, Fanny Ellsler and
Lola Montez.
A feature OF this years opera season will
be the revival Of the ballet at Covent Gar
den, with Mile. Boni, from Brussels, as
principal dancer.
It has been asserted that the grand ballet
died when the famous Taglioni retired in
1876. At any rate the ballet to-day is chiefly
light. Except for a very few performers
dancing a. O high art has vanished.
There Ia 40 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
Thackeray condescended to notice her
and declared enthusiastically in 'The New
comes" that the young men Of the day
will never see anything 30 graceful as Tag
lioni in La s%ylphide.' At that time she
was the rage. Stage coaches and great
coats were named after her.
La Taglioni owed her charm to a Won
dorful lightness and grace. Her style wos
rather ideal than realistic and ~voluptuous,
as was then the vogue. The hideous ballet
skirt of to-day she never wore, but a skirt
that reached 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 move
ment and in expression.
Another famous master, who called him
self 'Ls Dieu de Ia Danse,' always told his
pupils to Use all the ooquetry they could.
yestris, who founded the famous Vestris
family, was an eighteenth century celeb
rity, and quite remarkably oonceited even
Tor n dim Car sTbapa apa hpt tbraa ooat
men alive y he used to cay, myself, the
Prussian Frederick and Voltaire." ct is
interesting to compare Southey's remark
that a male dancer deserves to be nam
strung) That profession Of which he was
30 proud Is, indeed, an arduous one. Yes
iris used to practise for about six hours
a day. A dancer must be extremely strong
and supple.
A curious story Ia told about Fanny
Ellsler. a German dancer with coal blatk
strength a dancer acquires, She was
crossing to America, when she entered her
cabin n day and discovered a thief alb
stracting the jewel case which she kept
attack her she planted her foot full in his
chest and killed him on the spot.
1t ia curious that no English woman has
over achieved supreme success as a dancer.
It ID possible, as foreigners assert, that
they lack the dramatic gift, 1t is certain
tthoS q lOioh NONolhoh dhi buouS J.
premiership are essential to any expression
through the medium OF dancing, The
rats the beginners 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 only Eng
lish dancer who ever gave promise Of at
tanning the front rank failed in this respect.
Lola Montez was the somewhat foreign
name she had taken. She lost her temper
one day with the manager at rehearsal
and expressed her feelings so dramatically
as to break an umbrella over his head.
Managers will endure much for Arts sake;
but this was too much.
Carlotta Grisi ia another famous name OF
the old Opera. 1t was she who first intro
duced the polka into England-a Bohemian
dance that Ca me to stay. 1t was for her.
too, that Heine, Gautier and Adolpke
Adam elaborated in writing 'Gisoie,'
There were a score more famous names
that were familiar words in those days,
OF the twelve leading dancers engaged nc
the Kings Theatre in 1924 for a two months
season five were a suff1oient attraction to
receive more than Ell 900 -av:,.