New Britain herald., 1923-01-18
AMIDST CABARETS
 0f FRENCH CAPITAL
Cay uls Of Paris Attracts People
 OI Many Countries

Paris. Jan. ie.--furninE away from his hetel with a few hours Of idle time ai his disposal. the visitor in Paris who seeks the show windows Of 2 the life of the capital will. within a few blocks. md what he is looking for in one Of the many establish ments which the French call "dane- ings." The most popular places num- Der at least a dozen, They are small tea and supper rooms. A pempous and uniformed man is on duty at the street door. but the place itself is like as not tucked away on an upper noor away from the noise of the street.
 The world passes through these places. but America furnishes the nucleus of ths stock companies and the audience that stage q constantly shifting show. Half the people pres- ent have come to dance. the others to watch and to talk, and to make new friends.
 Fashion does not parade the streets on the rue de Ia Paix as they may be on the Main Streets" of America. Many Of them appear on models at the races. on the stage. and to less extent in theater audiences but the tourist gees more of the dressmakers and the milliner's work at the tea tables or in night cafes than nt all the other peacock alleys" to which the visitor has access.
 American jazz bands, or masters of syhcopation." stiIl predominate at the ''dancings." but they are being Frenchifed. American music ranks as the best for dancing. but Ameri- cans abreast of tho times at home sometimes notice music they first heard several years ago on the other side.
 When interest begins to lag on the waxed floors entertainers, chiefly Am erican, are brought on to stimulate trade, and they and the English near ly monopolizc that part of the show Professional dancers also are often American, although the profession al'' who dances with the women whose escorts come only to look, and who appear on the walters check for ten francs dance arc more often French or of some uncertain nation ality.
 Models, actresses and fashion lead CTS show their beautiful clothes al these places, and many a good cus- toner goes to an expensive dress maker whose gown attracted atten. ton there and whose wearer, on the dressmaker's payroll, found someone 10 introduce her to the wealthy pros pect.
 There is a strange contrast of peo- pie in these elaborate dance rooms where a cup of tea costs dollar and cake is extra. English is spoken al most as much as French, with Rus sian a fair third. Much of the French has foreign accent. fol there is queer procession of vague nationalities constantly drifting through the pleasure circles of Paris There are many of these well-dressee men and women with hard faces, wht talk little of themselves. and wht seem to have no occupation. Ther there is considerable element of the frothier part of upper society but tho real audience is composed of ths body of tourists from abroad and tho French provinces who have come tt see how Paris amuses itself.
 Dancing seems to be the least con. cern of the "dancings." Nevertheless 1t goes on constantly on the smal crowded floor. frequently linoleum. covered, faster in the waltz than Am orleans like, and slower in the other dances.
 Dancing in Paris often has beer said to be dying out, but so far there has been no reduction in the number Of these places with queer names like My Sisters Garden" and "The Se Different" Real dancing meantime in the big, old-time bathrooms of tho Bal Bullier, Moulin de la Galette ant other places linked with the histor, of the artist quarters, goes on as al ways, unspoiled by the after-war cd dities of the best places"
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