Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-10
WOMEN AS ACROBATS
Their Part in the "Strong Act"
Catches Public Fancy.
OLD PERFORMER EXPLAINS
Most Professional Female Athletes
Hail From the Country.
THE SALARY ATTRACTS THEM
American Performers Yearly Becom-
ing More Popular in Europe-Ap-
paratus Used is Costly.
THE SALARY ATTRACTS THEM
Written for The Star.

Written for The Star.
The one woman of the group was the
base of the pyramid; she was carrying the
combined weight of three men, and 1t was
with certain taking grace that she walk
ed off the stage, while her fellow-p perform
ers waved (as is usual on such occasions)
small national flags.
That" said the old acrobat, rs an act
that always takes. It's as ancient as the
hills, but just as much now on the first
day 1t was given, people find themselves
inwardly and ourwardly exclatming, How
does that little woman do it?' In that query
lies the secret of the strong acts perennial
popularity.
Now. If one of the men had done the
toting, who would have applauded? A man
is looked upon as a creature capable of
bearing heavy burdens. But woman isn't
don't you see the little trick by which
the public fancy is caught?
Hard to get a woman strong enough to
do q strong act? Guess again. The woods
are full of EN-. and 1t takes only two years
or so to get a young one into fit shape TO
bear up all the way from seven TO nine
hundred pounds. 1t isn't dead weight, of
course. The humans above her are springy
and one of the secrets of doing a strong
act well is to get the springiest sort of
persons imaginable to work with you.
THE course that the woman acrobat or
trapeze performer undergoes to develop
her muscles is in every respect similar to
that which hardens her brothers in the
show business. Weights, dumbbells, In
dian clubs and all that. But a woman has
to begin young say when she is about
eighteen It's dangerous for man or wo-
man to train for strength before that age.
Prior to II person has very little TO build
strength on, and the result is that what
strength is possessed Is consumed in the
effort to get strong. Then, IKE as not con-
sumption develops.
Best Acrobats Country Bred.
1--WE been in the show business going on
forty years. and just as I've found that
the strongest women got their muscle after
they reached maturity, so I've discovered
that the majority OF them are country or
small town born and bred girls. Likewise
with the male end of the business. This
is the way of It:
"A circus hits the countryside by way
of small town, maybe once year. IT'S
the great happening of the season, and
weeks before the show comes and weeks
after It has gone the public mind is in
famed over 1t, especially the young mind,
and the boy always and his sister FREE
quently practices aerobatigs, trapeze and
bar stunts with an ardor that Is never dis
played over chores or dish washing. The
result is Seif-eyident. In the minds of not
a few boys and girls is implanted an un-
wagering desire to become professional per-
formers; the next thing you know they are
on vaudeville circuit. and the home folks
have choice bits of gossip to roll about
under their tireless tongues.
The girl from the country naturally falls
into the strong act business From child
hood she has led an outdoor life. all her
muscles have been developed symmetrical
". usually. and when she takes up aero
batic work as a livelihood, 1t Is natural for
hef strength to grow In proper proportion
In each part of her body. To do strong
act ali-ronnd strength is absolutely essen
tiai, and the country girl is the one most
likely to possess IL.
Hey, Winnie, where were you born
Just as thought--the country.
In many ways the show business is a
dogs life for woman, but there's this
much to be said In its favor-by following
II a woman can make better living than
she can az most anything else.
There's Winnie. for example. Not much
education to brag of. II she'd stayed at
home maybe she's have gone into town and
become servant. Maybe she'd have taken
to trimming hats for bare living. and