what a fickle public will
welcome and approve by its patronage. Hence, my talks on atmosphere
are of more than usual value.

[Illustration: NW]

DANCING CHILDREN

When you are teaching a child something that suggests play, and that
at the same time is beneficial to health and beauty, and is also the
real foundation for a future career, you are accomplishing much in an
easy and pleasing way.

[Illustration]

The activities in our Saturday classes for little tots do all of this.
They are called dancing classes, and they become that, but the
gradation from romping play into systematic dancing instruction is
accomplished practically without consciousness on their part, and thus
they learn the rudiments of stage routine almost without knowing it.

[Illustration: CHILDREN'S SATURDAY HOUR]

I don't know of any bunch of children anywhere that have a happier
time than do our littlest pupils in their dainty lessons in the
studios. They love every bit of the "work." In the first place, it is
adapted to their years, and their instructors are both competent and
kindly; and while it is quite a problem to handle a roomful of
little folks bent on mischief, and direct their playing along
systematized lines, we do it, and before they know it the little feet
are stepping in unison to bright music, and gradually there is
awakened a pride in perfect performance, and the little playmates
become little dancers, each trying his best to equal or excel his or
her fellows.

I go on record as saying that the age of eight years is the most
favorable for the beginning of a dancing career, for then the young
pupil has a mind sufficiently developed to easily comprehend
instruction, and a body readily responsive to training. Yet we take
children from four to seven years of age for specialized training
which prepares them properly in the fundamentals and technique that is
so necessary. Occasionally some five-year-old dancing marvel is
discovered. Young years are learning years the world over, and right
training in foundation work for the future great dancer, as taught in
our studios, is so attractive in itself and so suggestive of real
"fun" to the little learner, that both child and parents give it their
hearty approval.

Dancing teachers in other cities send promising children to New York
to study for professional careers; mothers bring the little dancers to
New York, anxious to put them on the stage at once. But that is not
poss