Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

Picture Show, December 11th, 1920. 10 MAURICE Famous Dancer who is now Delighting London Tells the Stor> of His Dancing Days Specially for Readers of the PICTURE SHOW— How He Danced Before King Edward at Biarritz — Learned the Apache Dance in the Underworld of Paris MAURICE, who is the star dancer in the successful review, " London, Paris, and New York," st the London Pavilion, and who is now leading the dances at the Savoy, in an interview with " Fay Filmer," ot the PICTURE SHOW, gave a most interesting story of his dancing days, and many hints on the art of modern dancing which will be usefnl to our readers. Maurice has literally danced his way round tne world. His feet have been his fortune, and they are still carrying him on to greater fame. MAURICE. My Early Days. 1VV A S born i n America, of Belgian parents, and I scarcely remember the first time I danoed (ho said to me at the Savoy). I don't know whether I danced in my cradle, but I certainly danced when 1 ought to have t>een thinking of, and doing my lessons at school. 1 remember how, when I was supposed to be listening to my teacher, l.used to swing my legs backwards and forwards, and then, when I got tired of that movement, I would swing them from side to side. That made the boys next to me very angry — and, when I come to think of it, I can't blame them, for even in my young days my side kicks must have been very hurtful. My father travelled about the world for a firm of jewellers, and when I was nine he brought me over here and put ine in Chatham College, Rochester. My First Appearance. AT the ago of twelve I persuaded the Director of the Nouveau Cirque, Paris, to give me a chance. He took a lot of coaxing, but 1 my first job. The salary was two francs fifty got (or two and a penny in your money at that time), but it seemed a fortune to me. You could buy a lot of things for a franc in Paris in those days. Crazed with success, I went to study the dancers in Montmarte, and soon secured an engagement at the Royale at a salary of five francs a night. By this time I was certain that I was on the road to fortune and fame, for in those early days one had to look to money and leave fame with her laurel leaves to the future. From Paris I went to Vienna to fulfil an engagement at the stupendous salary (it seemed so to me then) of 4E0 kronen a month. And now I won't what you call bore you with any more of my early day struggles. Your readers probably know how since then I have danced in all the capitals of the world. Ah, yes, I have had some wonderful experiences ! Danced Before King Edward. ONE that stands in my memory (you will find it in my book, " .Maurice's Art of Dancing '") is when 1 danced before your late King Edward. It was at Biarritz ; and when I had finished the dance — it was an ArJache dance, of which I will speak to you later — his Majesty saw mo passing along the corridor. One of the gentlemen in his suite stopped me and said : " How is it that you have the strength to swing the girl so far out while she clings to your neck ? " I was very much embarrassed, and scarcely knew how to explain. " The muscles of my back " I began. And then King Edward saved me. " Would you be so ungallant as to let a lady fall if she were clinging to your neck ? " asked his Majesty. At that they all laughed, and I was very pleased to make my escape. But 1 always think it was a kingly action on the part of King Edward to come to the rescuo of a dancer. Alas, that memory has a side that is sad. For it was during King Edward's visit to Biarritz on that occasion that he was taken vith the sickness that ended in his death. I still treasure the gold cigarette box King Edward gavo mo as a present. How I Learned the Apache Dance. BUT now I must tell you how I came to learn the Apache dance. By this time I was earning a great deal of money. I had danced at Monte Carlo, from which place J had gone to Vienna and Budapest, and then I had come back to Palis. In that wonderful city I had received many, many kindnesses. Through the kindness of Mr. and Mis. Jean de Reske (to whom I shall always say I owe the beginning of the great success which has come to me), I had danced my way into the stately homes of the Faubourg St. Germain. I remember it was Mr. and Mrs. Jean de Reske who gavo the first the claimant given in Paris, and introduced so many pupils to me that I had to keep a special diary to remind me of my engagements. One night I was sitting in the Cafe de Paris when Max Dearly — a well-known dancer at the Moulin Rouge — came up to me, and asked if I felt in the mood for an adventure. I suppose that at that moment — though I was wonderfully alive to the good luck that had come to me — I was feeling bored. May I say that " bored " is one of the most expressive words I have picked up in my many travels ? Well, as I say, feeling bored, I consented. The Paris Underworld. MAX took me to the Paris underworld, and, because it was my first visit, I suppose that is why I remember it so clearly. We went down a flight of stairs into a den which had, a smell as vile as the faces we saw when we got to the cellar. I was warned not to show any sign of fear, and I decided that since I had consented to seek adventure, the. only thing left to me was to face it. The place was crowded with Apaches, who drank with their knives on the tables in front of them. I shall never forget it. The low-roofed cellar, with it's stinking oil lamps, the hunted look in the faces of the men, and the despairing, hopeless, yet untamed challenging stare in the eyes of the womem As we sat there one of the men, tired of cards, motioned to a woman. She arose reluctantly. He caught hold of her roughly, and began to dance. It was a dance such as I had never seen before. It was terrible — yet it held me spellbound. The Real Thing. YOU who have seen my Apache dance will understand what I mean when I say it is copied exactly — steps and costumes — from that which ] saw with my own eyes in that evilsmelling cellar in the imder-world of Paris. The dance started with the girl dragging her feet, as if wishing to be free. Then the quickening of the music— the passion of the dance — surely one -of the oldest and the most subtle, yet at the same time most convincing of all the means of expressing the emotions of Life. Yes, Life ! For, however much we may deplore it, we must realise that there is Life in the cellars of Paris, in the. dives of New York and the slums of London, as there us Life in the salons and drawing-rooms of the world's cities. Whenever I dance that Apache dance, I dance it as an artiste who strives to show some THE BIG THREE. The "PICTURE CHOW, every Monday. The " GIRLS' CINEMA," every Tuesday. The 'BOYS' CINEMA" every Wednesday. ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND PICTURES FROM FILMLAND. thing that is, just as (he artist who paints on canvas seeks to show the things that are mirrored in his mind. Some Hints on Dancing, YES, yes! I, too, would prefer to portray pleasant things. In this interview I have told yovi of many great pleasures I ha\ <: experienced, but I must speak as 1 feel. I have no wish to go again to that cellar in the under-world of Paris, but I feci that, as a dancer, striving to show on the stage what I have seen of life, thai your readers will understand. Tell them from mo that there is nothing in the cellars of Life that will please. It is only in the sunshine whero happiness lies. And perhaps I am straying from my job, as we say in America. And now may I give you some hints for the readers of the Pioturk Show ? Let us be happy — for surely the dance was meant to bring happiness ! Will you please put these things down, just as I say ? My Favourite Dance. MY favourite dance is, and always will be. the waltz with the hesitation figure, It is virtually ideal as a dance, and in this dance, to my mind, a girl looks her best. Here T must say that the simpler you dance in any ballroom the better you will dance, because when you try eccentric steps you look conspicuous, especially if you or your partner are not perfect dancers. I'd like to give a word of advice here to girls. Do not always dance with the -same partner. If you do, you will not advance, and, like everything else, unless you progress you will go back, and your dancing will become monotonous, whereas, if you continually change partners, you will realise little mistakes, and also find out how much nicer it is to dance with some partners than other?. Next to the waltz the Fox trot will always be a favourite dance, especially over here, because the Anglo-Saxon race likes fast dancing. The Tani^o requires a wonderful rhythm of music and tempo. The Secret of the Fox Trot. EVERYONE has experienced, in strolling aimlessly along the street, a sudden jauntiness in our step caused by a barrel organ playing a popular air in march time. That is the whole secret of the one-step. It is marching without coming down smartly on your heels. It is walking briskly, spiritedly, on a smooth floor. In this dance be careful not to stand too near jour partner, and be careful, if you are a man, not to hold your partner in such a way tliat you lift her shoulders. Wait for the right beat in the music, and then start to walk either backwards or forwards without lifting your feet from the floor. The girl should dance entirely on the ball of her foot, and I believe tho best advice I can give any girl is to tell her to forget her heels as much as possible." A Compliment. MAURICE has more than once appeared before King George, Queen Mary, and Queen Alexandra at Buckingham Palace. He has also numbered many r6yal names among his pupils, among whom may be mentioned H.R.H. Infant Louis of Spain. It was he who created the The Daasant at the Piccadilly Theatre, London, and during his recent visit to Los Angeles gave special dancing lessons to many well-known screen stars. He has also himself dancedin a number of screen plays, among which was the Famous Lasky film, The Quest of Life." It is to our compliment that Maurice told m< in parting that in all the countries in which he has danced, he has found the best audiences in America and England. Fay Filmeb.