The San Francisco call., 1913-11-20
Tango Strengthens Tootsies,
Declare Miss Dolly and
Other Toe Artists

N ANCING the tango or the "hesi-
tation" waltz or any other similar
dance does not make person
fiat footed.
know. They are dancers and they
earn their living by dancing
What Is more, they say so defiantly
ana In positive contradiction of DIR.
Alexander E. Block of ST. Louis, who,
IN published statement, declared that
the tango and the hesitation" waltz
were making all dancers of these two
forms of terpsichore fiat footed.
Doctor Block based his assertion
on the fact that he had treated more
than dozen cases OF painful great
toes and balls of the feet. He says
the dances destroy the instep.
DIR. BLOCK WRONG, THEY ALL SAY
Doctor Block is wrong. entirely
wrong" is the consensus of opinion
expressed by Miss Yancsi Dolly. now
appearing at the Orpheum: Maude
Fulton of The Candy Shop at the
Gaiety; Julian Eltinge Of "The Fas-
cinating Widow" at the Columbia,
and Miss Dale Winter of The Merry
Countess" at the Cort.
Miss Dolly was found in her dress
Ing room at the theater just before
going on the stage. She was shown
the statement of Doctor Block in The
Call
Il can not believe that" she said.
See. / am not fiat footed. I have
been dancing almost every kind of a
dance for several years." and she ex-
tended rather small foot with an
instep perfectly arched
DANCE STRENGTHENS FEET
To dance the tango properly and
gracefully you must extend the foot
with the toes pointing downward" !"
She illustrated the movement. and
then went on: ITO do this requires
constant play OF the muscles OF the
feet and naturally strengthens them.
The exercising of the tendons in the
feet is what makes them beautiful
and strong"
Miss Fulton. whose dancing in "The
Candy Shop" is one of the hits of
the performance, has been following
the art for IL years.
The very movement OF the dance
argues against such a thing."s Miss
Fulton declared 'Of course. whether
person is fiat footed depends largely
upon the care that is taken of the
arches. Flat shoes will cause fat
feet.
An italian dancing master in New
York constantly warned me against
wearing fiat shoes. A dancer should
always wear high laced shoes when
not dancing"
CURED ELTINGE's FLAT FEET
Eltinge bears the reputation of be-
Ing one OF the best tango dancers in
the country, so his opinion was the
next sought.
The tango does not affect the arch
of the foot" he declared. That is. IL
does not affect it injuriously. but
rather the other way 1t induces
grace and strength. The strongest
proof of this is the fact that nearly
every one of the famous European
dancers has beautiful feet In my own
case I was almost fiat footed before
/ started to dance. Now you will
notice that my foot has a distinct
arch"
Eltinge. to olillustrate, kicked OF his
mans shoe, about the ordinary size,
and slipped on a dainty satin slipper
that looked fully four sizes smaller
than the footwear he had just taken
off.
MISS WINTER NOT INJURED
Miss Winter also has a reputation
busy with some dress materials. she
left her work long enough to voice
her opinion concerning Doctor
Blocks contention.
II do not agree with the doctor"
she said, because my own case dis
proves 1t. / have danced ever SO long
and never once was troubled with
my feet. Besides, the arches OF my
feet are not injured and / am not fiat
footed-at least. hope I'm not. Do
you think sop
After Miss Winter had held out her
foot for inspection she was assured
that her surmise was quite correct.
You see, my ankles are very
strong, which I think is due to dam
cling. I like the tango particularly.
and think It's very beneficial to the
health. Nobody need be afraid of
getting fiat footed by dancing it."