Evening journal., 1918-05-04

E1Y ERHAPS you arc the victim Of
the so-called awkward age On
@ perhaps you are the mother OF
the victim. In either case YOU
VIII be interested in a delightful way to
bridge the period of troublesome arms
and legs, and neck and hands; and thai
way IS the esthetic way. Dancing. all
sorts of 1t, is a tremendous help in &C.
qmring grace and poise, but usually Sc
much more attention is given the feet
and legs that the other members more
lacking in balance and grace receive lit
Tic OF no benefit For that reason / am
specializing with the hands, arms.
shoulders, neck and head today.
Before attempting the poses illustrat-
cd make yourself "6t' to derive lust as
much benefit in the way of increased
grace and poise as possible. Learn. first
OF all, the art of complete relaxation.
Let go all over, mind and all Drop
the arms and hands until they hang loose
at the sides Drop the head until it
falls limp on the chest. And then as
sured that you have a reasonably soft
surface beneath you grow limp at the
knees, so limp that you finally fall into
a little heap. Practice this very bene-
hcial method of complete relaxation un-
I'll you make yourself quite plastic.
If you would cultivate an enviabie
carriage. don't start out by sauaring
your shoulders and thrusting out your
chest until you more nearly resemble a
tin soldier than a delightfully."- poised
woman. Instead. try practicing the
graceful stretch given in the full length
picture. Here the chest is raised, and
that IN itself insures a natural position
OF the shoulders. The head is thrown
back and the arms stretched forward
and upward with the palms up. Prac-
uce the position, raising each leg al
iernateiy' and slowly bending the back.
Note that the head is held high, the
chest up, the shoulders back and the
abdomen in-all the features of the cor
rec, -arriage. Practice the position IN
I'll III achieve perfect balance. And
WheI you are no longer wobbly 60 ON
TO cc' next
rad you ever feel as if your arms
wee perfectly useless appendages? In
az probability they weren't occupied
Wl5i ~ thought occurred to you; FOR
tilst '~T' reason they seemed terribly in
"a ~ Wy, unduly long and heavy perhaps.
odg' suppose you consider your hands
ana arms from another viewpoint for a
Whiie. Gct It out of your head that they
aIe elmer useless or appendages; a sor-
iy-looNng sight you'd be without these
aforementioned appendaees now
wouldn't youa Induce curve mo
Them, wrist, eli W, fingers and all. Prac-
uCc curVing OF arm over the head. the
other across the body Note the droop
OF the fingers in the illustration of the
raised arm Here the head is lowered
and turned slightly to the side; the bodv
loo, inollnes with the turned head.
once IN while you see a well-poised
mead It IS thoroughly satisfying sight,
too; The head is held high, but not too
nigh and the shoulders appear to give
able support There is a certain dig
nity impaired by the erect head But
when It IS consciously thrust up it gives
the unpleasant effect of undue hauteur.
Try the side position Of the body with
arms raised and chin up. Straighten the
bodE bending back at the waist line,
raise the arms slowly with wrists lead
ing and follow the fingcrtips with the
eyes. Thus will the head be induced
INTO natural erect position.
Hands prove even more troublesome
than arms, don't they? And the moro
ungainly they feel the more uncainlv
they are going to appear. Again
would advise you TO think of your
fingers and wrists IN terms of Curves"
else they will be the most woodenv OF
things In the pose for ungraceful
hands, the very troublesome members
droop from laxed wrists. the fingers
falling into natural curves. If your
fingers just won't curve naturally. well,
train them SO that they will. II neces-
sary take hold of them and deliberate
ly make them describe a semi-circle from
Snuokles to tip. Practice the pose with
head up, back and waist line curved,
arms curved and wrists limp.
And then if you would be supple all
over practice the last pose until it be-
comes almost second nature for YOU to
bend yourself into a series of curves at
will. Note the crouching position
achieved by bending head and shoulders
along with back The supporting foot
remains perfectly fiat while the other is
raised at thigh and knee. Be careful to
point the toes.