| Show Contrasted Lives of th the e THE American merican chorus c girl is ac a 19 type e c tj picturesque appeal Hamo Her Ha- Ha mo mode e of icing has lias been ten t enough But Bul What Mat of oj o ha her ha count counterpart the dancer Janca of the Euro European Um chorus c While classical dancing is ml not to It he confused con d of 0 course curse with the gyrations cf oj musical comedy the flae exponents oj of the flae two lUiO schools om and the tk i demands of their res professions offer an interesting contrast In the following ng comparison Miss Norah Nosh Meade Mcade recounts mounts in the tiers Ittes of r the LIte two too l tg types Since Swe the Broadway chorus girl trl had completed her rehearsals it is more the recreational side of her career carer that is presented BALLET DANCERS DANCER'S DAY By Norah Meade TT T was thirty nine-thirty In the 11 v I IT JL morning w when h en I called for Miss Doris Faithful the only English 1 N member of the Ro Russian ian 1 Corps de Ballet 4 Report had bad it that the ti ballet girl is a recluse so 80 ardent a devotee devote devotee of her art Every movement o of that she has baa nather time the ballet dance analyzed nor a attention for t the theBy and educed reduced to ann an exer- exer bliss worlds world's pleasures cise else which they repeated repeated Faithful had o offered red to countless counties times convince me of ol the fact Iwas i iwas was ViaS to be conducted on a tour of her ber day We were ere then at No West Forty fifth Street where she made her New NewYork York home borne with some other members of her troupe Our destination was Grand Central Palace where the ballet class was to be bo held that day This she explained as we set out briskly ik ir irmy my only exercise in tl the tbs open air I En route we discussed Miss Faithful and her pro pro- f Q She began as ns a B My toe dancing snot of l the th so good I did not begin famous ballet dancer who as IS early as the others saw her perform in a private dancing school in London don when she was twelve years old and offered her a position why my toe-dancing toe is not so good volunteered I did not begin 8 as early as the others In the Imperial Ballet School they start at the age of nine Then tl their bones and muscles set in fn the right direction Arrived at the Palace she left me to change her dress and I I sat and watched the others A very unprepossessing little person is the ballet girl close at hand and in negligee At rehearsal she wears a sleeveless flimsy costume costume very short and slit up the sides to allow her the maximum of freedom free free- dom The enormous development of her caU calf gives herleg her herleg leg an abnormal look ook that borders on ugliness She impressed impressed im im- pressed me as asa a thick set serious little j being eing of oC colorless complexion and features that show the lines of nervous strain Where I wondered was the spirit that can transform her into the joyous creature of the dance Then the class began and I realized that I was wag watching the technical side of the art It can be a very serious business In long tong lines they stood holding to a rail Tail And not a muscle of those small bodies ladies but they stretched and American Chorus G. G Gir Girand and Russia Ballet Dance Dancel du tie Ike two tiro hours hours' drilL Not Nol a movement of oJ the tAe baIrd ballet bal baI- let rd dances but bid lad had been ken anal l and arid reduced toan toan to toan an exercise ancile which they re ro- re pasted countless times timed e t One two three two two three three four four- five six five at x-at at each esch count the knees bent in unison with the numbers a asci scissors ors movement done on the tips of tho the toes Six more counts the counts the leg shot out sidewise a straight line from hip to heel Six more more more-a a toe exercise a rhythmic contraction and expansion of the muscles of the leg There was the grand battement to make her perfect perfect per per- in the high h kick the petit battement in the tho correct correct correct cor cor- cor- cor point of the toe toc the Battement frappe to make her supple in the ankle joints the battement rene serre In the convulsive quiver of ol the foot For two solid ho hours those figures poised and pirouetted All AU over I Inquired anxiously when she reappeared reappeared reappeared reap reap- In street costume Until three was her answer and seeing my look she smiled We e have rehearsals at three at nt the Manhattan Manhattan Man Man- hattan Opera House O MEANTIME we went to lunch Plain 1 food including the least 0 possible amount of fats err seemed to constitute Miss Faithful's meals She d declared de do- doS S elated however that there were no restrictions on their diet Theres here s a wonderful We spay may eat any- any thrill i ia b Interpreting thing we please she said music great At the Manhattan Opera House we found a o state of pleasurable confes- confes sion music sion-music music motion and color In the auditorium Conductor Monteux was putting his orchestra through the music for The rehearsal lasted from three to half past half past five with ith irritating interruptions and repe tl ns ms Well what now I asked Miss Faithful f f Now she laughed l I am free until half hall past seven Then Ive I've got to be beon beon beon 4 on hand for the performance perform perform- r rance ance to night That wont won't l last long longer r than eleven- eleven thirty at the latest After Alter that Im I'm free until to mor row Now you know u much about my day a ai as I r This r is my only exer- exer do fO o mY myself excePt myself except for va- va cise in the open air i pins is Don DorL um Faithful o ol the Russian Corps de Ball Ballet k who says taya I Ithe In Inthe the Imperial i dancers start a athe the age ae of or film nine Then t the hel bones bona and to m mclea mus muscles cles ela set et In the ti A right dire d I r f e O o. 1 1 don tion e J cation which come for two months every And then I put a very Impertinent question on asked how in terms of ot dollars and cents the ballet gi was compensated for lor such labors 1 I was as told that the range of salary was as from twenty five to thirty-five thirty dollars tho the latter being the tho it for the girl girt who occasionally takes a ama ams part Miss Faithful is a solo dancer in And how long do you last lastY I demanded rudel rude f I j. j Rarely over the age of thirty was tho the answer |
