New-York tribune., 1912-08-25
LA PETITE ADELAIDE
Little Toe Dancer at Winter
Garden Began Career by
a Coincidence.

please do not say that I invented too
dancing" naTvely cautioned Adelaide, af-
ter an interview she had given In her
dressing room at the Winter Garden.
"Once ] played Cleveland. and a writer
made the astonishing statement that
discovered the art OF toe dancing. I was
very glad when l left town that Sunday
for imagine any one thinking ] would
make such a remark! / would not even
dare say that | am good toe dancer. |
leave that for you.
Toe dancing is really the expression of
childish emotion, and ] am sure the first
toe dancers were little children. II Is
natural for them to jump up on their
feet. II is this desire that started me
upon my career. and 1t came all OF SUD
den. My home was In Troy, N. T.,
where as a child I attended a dancing
school At the end of the first season our
school gave an exhibition and | was Sc
lected to do fancy dancing. surprised
even myself by rising upon my toes.
s,ppose the excitement of the occasion.
the lights. the crowd in front and my de-
Iight at being able to dance at all caused
me TO rise on my tOts'
( .The professor told me ] should be-
come a toe dancer. Before the end OF the
week my mother had bundled me on to
New York TO take lessons from Nine
| Kruger. I really wasn't Old enough TO
leave home. but mother saw 10 every
thing. and I was wild over the idea OF
living I'm a big city where / knew / was
going 70 become some sort Of wonder.
IN, character. My ideas were nebulous,
but. under the tutelase OF Nine. Kruger
7 soon got an old head on young shoul'
ders. I did nothing but dance Tners
was no sightseeing; no plcnics MY
teacher told me 1 must hurry, az was
sure to be wanted for show. se'
lieyed everything, and my belief was not
MISPLACED. Less than six months aiter
lc.rno to New York Nine. Kruger intro
duced me 10 George w. Lederer, ana ne
ENGAGED me for The Passing Show Isn't
n odd that am now playing IN anoIAe'
production with the same utle-Ihe Fa's'
ling Show of 1912?
.That was eighteen years ago ana
lCharles Ross, who is now at the winter
IGarden, was a member OF the same COM
many. 7 did a speciality all by Myself
and Mr.. Lederer had me billed as Ia
petite ADELAIDE lie gave me the name
although my real name was Mary
Dscksy-iust plain Mary. My costume
was made by my mother, and every one
said II was pretty. This fired mothe'
with stage career, and some Few years
lIa+er she went into tho costumns ousI
ress I'm Chicago and made a huge sue
cess. She has made every costume io'
me since She designs them ana ooea
most OF the work Last year "heh
won't IN Paris / was afraid my Troy
Z made frocks might not measure up "
) the Paris standards. but l was too!lsh
G have had such fear. Don't thlnk al
G tr,inr 10 give mother an 'ad.'' becsus
$ she's no longer I'm the costuming ousl
= ness. She travels with me ana '"e'
= spends some of her time with tather' VII
t Is still living in Troy"
La Petite adelaide remained for SIX yed'
j at the Casino Theatre alter Ter hrSI dp
( pearance In The Passing SHOW. "A
i productions in which she later appesre
were The Merry Nhirl' The Lau
\ slavev." The Whirl OF the Town Ca
. Ncw York" "The Belle Of New York an
l "'rhe Casino Girl" Then came her ms
{ experience in vaudeville. after which 50
danced under the management OF %
Shnberts In Babes in the Wood In
e Blue Moon" The Orchid" and otner'
s Later. while playing in vaudeville IN ga
e Francisco. Adelaide formed a profession
. al alliance with J. J. Hughes, ana l.
@ Petite Adelaide then became merely Ad'
- laide and Hughes. After playing IN Ne
n York I'm Tho Barnyard Romeo I
;, and Down Broadway and KATY pid
the team made tour OF Europe A
though she had been on the stage 70
lmore than fifteen years it was Adelaide
=. first appearance on the Continent
a Adelaide confided that among her amel
tions there was none which had eve
. prompted her to enter the grand oper
:, ballet field. while ] am never satisfied
: she said. ~ intend remaining just Nne'
4 I am-that is. in musical plays. ana pos
slhlv now and then in vaudeville.