FOOTLIGHT NOTES
HAND MADE GREETINGS CARDS
Loïe Fuller (1862-1928)
'Paris has gone mad over Miss Loie Fuller. Not only is there the Loie Fuller skirt, but the Bon Marché and Louvre are selling Loie Fuller hats, Loie Fuller ribbons, Loie Fuller shoes, and even Loie Fuller petticoats. Her dance by turns has been compared to that of the Greek corybantes and to the most graceful up-to-date skirt dancing. Artists have attempted to reproduce the marvellous evolutions of la danse serpentine by pen, brush, and pencil; but, only enough, on the sculptor appears to have successfully transferred to plaster, brass, or marble an idea of the airiness and witchery of Miss Fuller's drapery effects, and she will be represented by two busts at the forthcoming [Paris] Salon.
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© John Culme, 2006
American actress and dancer,
posing in the photograph used for this card as Salome
'Miss Fuller, writes the Paris representative of The Sketch, is a straightforward, unaffected American girl, and is living with her mother in a quaint little apartment charmingly fitted up for her by the manager of the Folies Bergère and his good-natured wife.
'Nothing could be more different to one's idea of the French café chantant artist than the young lady who came forward with both hands outstretched, pleased to greet the English-speaking visitor. Strange and fantastic though her apparel is when performing, Miss Fuller has all her countrywomen's good taste as regards her everyday costume, and she has the true Américaine's tiny feet and hands.
'"I was born, or, as we say at home, raised in Chicago," she replied in answer to a question. "And I think I may say I made my début at the age of two and a half years at a Sunday-school recitation party. A little later I began acting children's parts, and I played more or less all over the United States, becoming a member of various companies, and, of course, taking every kind of role. At one time I thought of being a singer, but I am so devoted to the stage that I prefer to go on with theatrical work."
'"I suppose that even in those early days you were fond of dancing?"
'"Well, no; not remarkably so. A great many accounts have been given of how I first came to start this kind of dancing, and people have said that I took the idea from someone else, or, at least, from sold old mythological pictures. This is quite a mistake. The idea came to me quite by accident, and I will tell you how. An Indian officer presented me with a funny little white robe or skirt - in fact, an old Hindoo costume. I did not think very much of the gift, though, of course, I was pleased to have it. One day, while on tour, I put on the little gown in order to act a small part for which I thought it appropriate. At the end of the second act of the piece I was playing there was a kind of little dance. I was in a great hurry, and did not wish to change my skirt, and so danced in the one I already had on. The thin Indian muslin flew and blew round about me. This delighted the public, and I received quite an ovation. Well, that set me thinking, and I thought to myself that probably something could be made out of the idea. I began to practice in season and out of season, and one day, standing before my long looking-glass, the sun came out behind me, as I was catching up the side of the skirt, trying various attitudes. The light produced, not one, but half-a-dozen strange and beautiful effects. This is how I found out at least the principle of my dance, but I need hardly tell you that I practiced enormously before I was at all satisfied with myself. For months I searched for new effects, I attempted fresh pieces, new ways of lighting up the figure, &c., and then I began to look for a manager in order to produce my invention.
'"You could have met with no difficulty," I said, smiling, for Miss Fuller is receiving something like 10,000 francs per month from the proprietors of the Folies Bergère.
'"Indeed, I did have difficulty," she returned vivaciously, " I could not even get a manager to see me rehearse. They all said, 'No, Miss Fuller, you are cut out for a very different kind of work. We want dancers like ---' then they would mention half-a-dozen English skirt-dancers. 'There is nothing new to be done in dancing; keep your old kind of parts, and we will be pleased to hear from you with a view to an engagement.' At last, after a long time, for I would not give up the idea, I did get a manager to see the dance. He engaged me, and I need hardly tell you that the performance caught on immediately. Then a new difficulty arose. People began to imitate me, and hearing that I intended to come to Europe, one woman actually came here and said she was Loie Fuller. She had never even seen me dance, but had done the best she could from report and imagination."
'"And do you use here the same dances which you performed when you made your début in America?"
'"Yes, but, of course, I improve every day, and am always endeavouring to find new effects. In fact, I never give up studying. One of my initial difficulties was that of having a skirt made. My serpentine robe was painted by hand on thin silk sections, so that the artists should not know what they were working at. All my dancing dresses are made in America. At present, besides the serpentine, I am performing the Butterfly, the Pansy, and Cloud dances."
'"And is it very hard work, Miss Fuller?"
'"Well, I think you will understand something of what it is like when I tell you that I have been threatened with paralysis of the arms twice. You see, nearly all the movements are made with the arms. However, I am passionately fond of dancing, and it would make me perfectly miserable to give it up, even for a time."
'"And how do you like Paris?"
'"I cannot help loving the city," she answered, "for everyone has been very good to me here. I constantly perform in private houses, and have danced at a reception given by the American Minister, and, in fact, at most of the official salons. You see, it is a novelty. No one ever saw anything like it before, and that is why, I suppose, people are so delighted with it."
'"I should imagine that the effects of light and shade play a great part in the dance?"
'"Indeed, they do; and I am always improving that side of the performance. And one thing I should like to say to you," concluded Miss Fuller, earnestly, "and that is, that only those who have not seen me dance think that there can be anything peculiar in the performance. Among my most appreciative spectators are crowds of little children, who are brought by their parents to the morning performance at the Folies Bergère. No one, to my knowledge, has ever said a word against the dance in my presence."
'"And London, Miss Fuller; are we never to see you in England?"
'"Why, I hope so, some day. You know, I have acted over there [in 1890-1891]; but that was before I discovered my dance."
'As Miss Fuller was preparting to hurry off to the Ministère du Commerce, where she was down on the programme for four dances, her mother showed me some of the many souvenirs and pleasant mementoes of her daughter's great success. Probably no artist of modern times has had her features more often reproduced than has the serpentine dancer of the Folies Bergère. Many have tried to imitate her, but no one has as yet approached her excepting, strangely enough, her own sister-in-law [Ida Fuller], who has been dancing with great success in Russia, but who is now taking a short rest before starting work again, which will probably be in South America.'
(The Sketch, London, 12 April 1893, pp.642-643)