Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-10
DANCER DEFENDS
HER ART AS AID
TO ROBUST HEALTH
Violet Zell Argues in Behalf
of Exercise Which She
Says Has Tonic Effect if
Not Overdone.

"Ail healthy people should dance the
modern dances. Dancing prolongs life;
,t cures nervousness, 1t makes one grace
ful and, above all, It makes people nat
ural. which in many cases counts far
more than beauty" said Miss Violet zel,
who has delighted theatregoers with her
weird exhibition of modern dancing
burlesque" in "Chin-C Chin" at the For
rest Theatre.
Miss zell is considered an authority on
dancing by members OF the theatrical
profession. She has danced virtually all
her life, and she has succeeded in maxi
ing a suitable partner for Fred Stone,
and that is "going some," as one of the
profession put it.
Weighing only 95 pounds Miss zell
dances as II her limbs were made of
India rubber. Fred Stone in the Dance
Poetique" throws her over his shoulder
and finally falls over her and people
wonder that she does not break in two
She appears as Fan Tan and besides
many acrobatic stunts" her perform
ance is wonderful in many respects.
Miss Zell said yesterday that she had
never been sick a day of her life and al
though she knocked wood" as she said
1t. she attributes her remarkably good
health to dancing.
DANCING AS A TONIC.
'Tn the first place." she said, dancing
keeps down the weight. or course. every
one knows that, but do not think that
1t makes one thin It may at first, but,
like any other healthful exercise. it acts
as tonic and keeps one in fine condi-
tion, both mentally and physically, and
keeps the weight down to just where 1t
should be.
Dancing is a natural instinct Some
OF the modern dances are practically the
kind our primitive forefathers danced,
and after all they are natural, and being
natural 1t is only natural that they
should be beneficial.
''The modern dances make one graceful,
there is no doubt of that When YOU
think of 1t, all people should be grace
full. We all start with equal chances,
and Is there anything more graceful than
an infant? In youth we are all graceful,
so to speak, and clumsiness Is an ac-
quired habit that may come from many
sources. Will power and determination
can make every one graceful, and dane
Ing can be of the greatest help to the
will power in reaching the desired goal
MANY people are ungraceful through
selt-consciousness or nervousness. We all
know the pretty girl who looks like n |
doll, and we also know that there is |
nothing graceful about doll. The good
dancer should relax and become per-
fectly natural, and If the true spirit of the |
dance is reached any affectation will dis |
appear,
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING.
'All healthy |
those with weak hearts and other af- |
nctions should see doctor, but dane |
ing Is, without a doubt, the best kind of |
exercise that there is. or course, like |
everything else, 1t can be overdone. So
ciety girls and others who dance morn
ing, noon and night, in other words, girls
who really have the craze to the extent
C'at tisY want to be dancing all the time,
NE really doing a very foolish thing. |
Ihat is, If they dance to excess.
Girls who dance continually run the
danger of having their bunon Joints en-
larged and you know how ugly a swollen
Dunion Joint can make the foot look.
Moderate dancing may enlarge the feet
slightly, but that is quite natural.
DANCERS LoNG-LIVED.
Dancers live longer than other peo-
pie, I think. remember an old lady
who taught me. I have heard that she
was an old woman more than 20 years
ago, and she must be near So Even to-
day she can do the most graceful steps.
Many famous dancers have lived to a
very old age.
Society people who really have the
dance craze should take plenty of sleep.
Dancing puts one In such good physical
condition that we get to the stage where
We no longer feel tired. Nevertheless,
plenty of sleep is absolutely necessary.
Theatrical people seem to keep their
youth longer than others. That is a
well-known fact, and goodness knows
they have TO work hard enough at that.
MODERN DANCING