The Washington herald., 1912-02-25
SOCIETY KERMESS
PLANS ANNOUNCED
Junior League Now Rehearsing
Group of Dances Bound to Be
Popular with Younger Set.

That the society kcrmess will be q
popular affair is evidenced by the fact
that many Of the members OF Washing
toms younger society are now anxious 10
affiliate themselves with at least one OF
the groups Of dances which will be the
main feature Of this unique entertain
ment- The society kermess will be given
for charity at three evening perform
ances and a matinee in the New VIII
lard ballroom, beginning March I, and is
under the direction of the Junior League.
Of which Miss Rose NJ. Bradford is prrsl-
dent. The Junior League Is a charitable
organization composed OF nearly a hun
dred prominent young women who sup
port the National Junior Republic.
One hundred aDd fifty society young
men and women have been steadily re.
hearsing the steps OF the nine groups
of dances during the past week Miss
Lila NJ. Stewart, the versatile coach, who
Is acting as stage manager. concert man.
ager. and general enthusiast for the stage
portion OF the society kermess, has been
training individuals and groups for sew
eral hours every morning and every
afternoon for the last ten days
While this strenuous performance has
been going on at Ranscher's and at the
been held, the silent partners" of the
kermess have been working Just as hard
along other lines. These are the mem
bers OF the Junior League, who have
been devising novel booths which will
line the walls OF the Willard ballroom:
getting up ideas for voting contests.
soliciting advertisements for a unique
programme. II the results OF their labor
are as startling as the industry employed
h.. Fv, k1 as
of the society kermess is assured.
The dancing part OF the kermess is Diff
ficult to describe In advance, because
nothing exactly Ike Il has been seen in
Washington. II partakes OF the gorgeous
ness Of an Oriental dance. yet Il Is varied
and not at all tiresome. The iirmess has
carnival to open the festivities. and
original and sprightly music marks that
portion OF the entertainment throughout
Each dance has distinct originality. and
the chances for pretty colors and unique
costumes are endless. Nearly every one
of the kermess dances has been import
ed from Europe, such as the Polo dance
the dance Of the Gondoliers. the giddy
Tarantella, the London Gayety, and the
Hungarian and Russian dances. Two
dances. however. are as typically Amer
lean as the others are European and Con-
tinentaL These two are the Quaker
dance is absolutely unlike, any dance at
tempted on any Washington stage, and
the accompanying music is taken from a
set OF Zuni Indian motifs which are
said to be entirely accurate from the
Indian standpoint aud perfect from a
musicians standpointA The Quaker dance
has a roguish simplicity about Il which
robs the name of all suggestion OF Phila-
delphia slowness.
Several new dancers Joined the society
kermess lest week, as well as several new
silent partners" The dancers have been
coached in the fascinating steps OF the
Hungarian dance. and are chaperoned at
rehearsals by Mrs. alexander Britton.
The dancers for this new group are Miss
Virginia Harrison, Katherine Harlow,
Miss Helen Heyl. Miss Alma Louise
Hodges. Miss Cora Barry, Miss Katherine
Lowndes Lavender, Robert
Bell, Stewart Gilmore. Theodore Noyes.
George OConnor will be the songster
for the green and lively Irish dance.
and Philip Scantling win sing the words
for the pretty scenes in the Quaker pre-
sentation One OF the hardest workers
among the members OF the league is
Mrs. w. B. Woodson. who n responsible
FOR much of the kerness success so far
Il was announced yesterday that Mrs
Robert Henderson and Mrs. Lee Phillips
would have charge of-the flower hahDh
It the kermess.