Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-08
BOYS ARE MARvELS
OF GRACEFULNESS
DO "STUNTS" BETTER THAN
OLDER MEN
German Lads Have Been Carefully
Trained Since Early Childhood
and Have Become Expert
Aerobats

Six years ago the booking agent Of
the Orpheum circuit in Europe saw two
lads, aged 10 and II years, perform a
| balancing and gymnastic turn in Ger
man theater. 1t was their first appear
ance in an act by themselves and after
the performance the agent made extra
ordinary offers to secure them for the
American vaudeville circuits, but with
out avail.
The boys cannot go to America for
five years." said their manager, who is
also their father. "Their time is booked
solid up to the 1st of October, 1906"
Finally the agent offered them a con-
tract dated six years ahead, and In
fulfillment of that contract the Uessems
are now at the Orpheum. The act they
perform fully justifles the anxiety of
the booking agent to secure 1t.
1t is difficult to describe an acrobatic
turn without using little understood
technical terms. But a 'ione-hand
stand" will probably be understood. 1t
is the difficult feat of balancing, head
downward, on one hand. The perfec-'
tion of muscular development of these
young performers will be understood
from the fact that left and right one
hand stands are a regular part of their
performance, and their difficulty is in
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they are performed
Head-to-head balancing is not un-
common, but most performers make an
awkward spread of arms and legs in
such an act, while the Uessems do their
head-to-head work with feet together
and arms closely pressed to their sides.
Carrying his brother thus balanced on
,his head the elder Of these two lads
balances between two ladders pivoted
to the stage and with a foot and hand
on each carries his brother up an even
dozen feet into the air until his feet are
level with the top of the proscenium
arch. Then down again without for
moment losing the remarkable steadi-
ness of poise which amounts almost to
rigidity.
Father Proud of Sons
Herr Uessem, the father of the two
young athletes, is very proud of his
sons. Himself an acrobat, he has
trained them since they were 6 years
of age and naturally takes some credit
for their work.
Three meals a day, as much as they
choose to eat of milk, eggs, fruit both
fresh and preserved, fresh meats, soups
and gravies, but no fat or candy, is
their diet Neither tea, coffee nor any
alcoholic drink has ever passed the
lips of either of these boys. Tobacco
also is forbidden.
Besides their stage performances
each day has regular hours for practice
Each stage appearance is preceded by
a few minutes of light exercise and fol-
lowed by thorough massage. The re-
suit is ease and grace.
From October to May the boys are
performing continuously. From the 1st
day of June to the last day of Septem-
Der is their vacation. which they pass
at their home in Luxembourg. But it
is a vacation in which work has
large part They are then preparing
new acts and each season sees them
with a changed program. They have
visited every country in Europe except
Turkey. and toured Australia and New
Zealand. The present is their first visit
to America, and they will not return
for another five years.