The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-12

tablet recalls him. Small Milan girls
(but not boys, there are no boy pupis)
thirst to enter the ballet school, for the
profits are great. One enters il be-
tween s and II years of age. studies
ten years, during which the good duke
clothes and feeds you, teaches you
through Ballet Maestro Grassi--how to
dance; and gives you good secular ed
ucation, high moral training, and such
rigid disciplining that another Yisconti
Qtaly's late foreign minister) said.
There is no convent which trains sew
erer young ladies than the Milan ballet
school," From the hour when The fair
maids (after close examination OF bod
les, souls, and characters) are passed as
pupils, they are shielded from all
worldly influences. To insure that even
parents do not meddle, the duke allows
each little dancer $24 pocket money:
and this is raised year by year to $240.
And he allows each graduate $3.50 dur
ing the first year as finished dancer OH
La Scala stage.
First of all the ballet school rules is
don't flirt.''
When the irresistible maids approach
infiammable eighteen, they are rigidly
hidden from manly eye. If by post
comes jewel it is sent to the Charlie
to be sold for the poor; if by post
comes merely bouquet it is cast with
bushes in the dust bin. Naturally,
Milan mothers seek to steer ltheir
daughters into such a haven, the only
institution on earth which combines
the attractions of stage and conventuai
life. OF course La Scala expect a re-
turn for it's work. After ten years
study the ballet pupils make sirnultan-
eous debuts in 'solo advertisements; =
and for at least year after, they are
expected to remain at La Scala. Then
they may go out into the world. and
make name. and return to Milan.
Lisa Panchetti is the first of all the
dukes many pupils to waste her costly
education by abjuring the ballet career.
The duke, Maestro Grass and the
lovely ballet maids turn up their noses
at the Russian school of dancing. LII.
Scala. they say proudly, teaches nation
al Italian dancing, while the Russians
effect a mongrel breed, European. Ori-
entail and Russ Also Maestro Grassi
derides male dancers: Nijin.lSi and
Mordkin, he finds are mere half men. .
The Scala's aim is to turn out every
year from six to dozen girl dancers
of the type of Zucchi and zambelli.
the Paris opera favorites; ard it is
content If 1t succeeds in this.
Some Italians vail that despite the
Maecenas duke. the ballet is dying out.
The dancers, they say. are good, but
the public, the stage managers, tho
composers are bad The Russians are
all individualists; but the Milan girls
are never given a chance to show their
Temperament and technique. They are
crowded on the stage in heavy decora-
tive tableaux. They have no chance to
become known; and in fact not six OF
Scala ballet girl graduates are known
outside of Italy. And the public inter-
est declines. Formerly a whole even
ing. as in Russia, was given to the bal
let. Now the ballet is an hours after
theatre amusement for old men,
Lisa Panchetti's tragedy has drawn
attention to this ballet decay The
duke--if others back him is ready for
fresh exertions: and he talks Of sending
Milan ballet troupe to Paris and Ber-
lin. Elisa Panchetti.' said>the "Sec-
olo,' "can go as Physician lin ordinary. =
There is no lack Of maids to take her
place Indeed. Lombard's richest. blu
est-blooded bravest. most generous
duke spends half his day writing letter.
of regret that he cannot take into his
ballet school 10000 unsuitable appli-
cants.