The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-10
ART Of DANCING
LEARNED IN
HAREM
Donna Maria, Premiere DAM
seuse Of CHERRY Blossom
Time," Tells Experiences.

Cherry Blossom Time. will pre-
sent true pictures of the Orient and
Slavic lands in the dances of the
ballet-gypsy and oriental-which
Donna Maria, premiere danseuse
and instructor of dancing, is bring
ing to this production, which
satirizes in good-natured laughter
official and social Washington.
Donna Maria has brought these
dances straight from the land of
almond eyes, coral lips, rounded
limbs, and sensuous beauty, where
| women have little to do outside of
making themselves beautiful.
81 spent several months in Cairo,
declares Donna Maria, slender,
graceful girl of the Dresden china
type, garnished with the up-to-date
American girls spice and rcsolu-
tion-whose every move expresses
the art to which she has devoted
her life.
while there / associated myself
Familiarity with the Arabian dancing
girls, studying the genius Of their
movements closely, so as to repro
duce them for the American public,
and use them in instructing my
pupils. The grace Of these creatures
is so subtle that it is difficult to
follow. They are more sinuous-
snaky, you might say-than the
harem dancers of ConStantinople.
Oh, yes-I have been there, too.
The only way 1 was able to gain a
glimpse Of these harem dancers was
by obtaining letter from the
American consul, which opened to
me the Sultan's sanctum sanctorum.
In the Harem.
Il was conducted from the main
part Of the palace through a long,
; dark passageway, each side Of which
| noticed door after door. | learned
that these opened into the apart.
ments Of the ladies of the harem.
] was surprised, when l entered the
general leunging room, to find their
svelte bodies well covered with
bright-colored silks of rare weave
and richness, and not in state of
semi-nudity, as the Western mind is
apt to picture them. They were
amused by own clothing, and as
there were no gentlemen present, |
submitted to their whim to undress
me and don my clothing, amid
screams Of delicious laughter. They,
IN turn, dressed me in one of their
own dancing costumes-the one
which l am wearing in the oriental
dance of Cherry Blossom Time to
be presented at the National Thea
ter Easter week.
"They also placed upon my arm
bracelet of silver bells, set with
peculiar blue stone, which is sup
posed to protect the wearer from
the influence of the evil eye while
the bells frighten away the prov
erbial seven devils All of these
women dancers, theik skill in this
art being one of the recommends
tons to Sultanic favor. They
taught me many dance movements,
| drilling me patiently. In these !
took means to perfect myself later.
These very dances will be used iii
the Cherry Blossom Time ballet.
1.-The harem ladies also made mo
another gift of q priceless Sarahband
rug, of the kind upon which the
dancing is performed before the
Sultan. They also showed me the
wedding rug, which a girl com
mences to weave in early youth, to
be used at her nuptials. The bodice
of the costume 1 shall wear in the
| Nautch dance in Cherry Blossom
Time is woven similarly-that Is,
while the entire fabric is made in
single weaving, the design stands up
separately, caught to the background