The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-11
OOH! SUCH DRESS!
Mereereau Just Loves Fluffy,
Dreamy Stuff.
Real Snow and Filmy Gown
Her Delight.
WARDROBE NOTHING MUCH
Even That Is Too Much for
July, She Says.
Real Grecian Wardrobe DaZZleS
Her interviewer.
MUCH

Cocoon. 1t has showed again. and
Miss Vcrna Mersereau, who does an
Egyptian dance in a September Morn
costume at the Novelty during the
first of the week, clapped her hands
in pleasure.
In such weather. 1 live murmured
the alluring danseuse, and she tripped
10 the window, her thin flowing gar
ments flying in the air.
Then a shade of care crossed her
brow. She shuddered. But in the
summer-auch-the 1 die
The emotional young dancer whirled
about-she is never still-and APP
peared to notice for the first time, her
caller.
BE seated" bade the young wom-
an. and she glanced askance the
heavy overcoat that served the guest
in three campaign against Jack Frost.
TOO much clothes-they are the
cause of so many colds,'' warned the
dressed" she cried. And the inter
viewer saw at once why the young
lady just died in the summer.
How long do you think 1 would
last If wore tight skirts and heavy
clothes?" the disciple of Cleopatra de-
manded. Freedom of movement
dare not sacrifice. It's my stock in
trade"
And under whom did you study
dancing?" the interviewer inquired.
u.
she burst out laughing.
Under Lionel Stronghold, the
| physical culturist-the man who lets
an automobile run over his chest.
have studied under no dancer" she
declared. But 1 have instructed
them.
Showed How to Do 1t.
My dance. 1 developed from my
training in physical culture. Look y
Miss Mercereau demonstrated She
threw out her long, supple. beautiful
arms. Gracefully her body writhed
Her arms floated back toward her
The movement was like that of a ser
pent twisting about.
| That's in physical training. See
again." and she brought one foot far
foreward, raised it to her waist and
| slowly swirved about on the ball of her
foot that remained on the carpet. II
was wonderful And that. too, is
learned in a course in physical train
ing she AYERS.
Il became a dancer by accident
Miss Mercereau claims. when I was
fourteen years old-that was six years
ago." she added, blushed, dimpled-
and the reporter thanked high heaven
for the opportunity of meeting sc
varied a range of emotions, each one
fitting their owner perfectly. Il
learned that company then playing
on the coast could use an Assyrian
/
Assyrian dances? Not thing. But ]
pranced off to the library. L read
-Assyrian history. 1 studied the Gus
toms and costumes of the people.
learned what l could of their moods
and their musical instruments. Thai
told me what 1 wanted to know about
| their music. 1 landed the place.
Too Many Clothes.
| ''Then I studied the Egyptian dance
1t is much freer and I liked it better
But l like the Grecian dance better
than any of the others. One is not
hampered then by so many clingine
| garments. l am going back to that
dance"
Last summer Miss Mercereau Joined
the Kalem company and starred in
| the Dance of Death"
THE opportunity to play the role
came to me one Thursday. My en-
gagement in New York closed the
following Saturday and they wanted
me to go to Jacksonville, Florida, the
next day. 1t was terrible. I was to
appear in two dances. What shall l