or the greater part of a thousand years. The
vehicle that carried the ballet through this period was known as the
"spectacle." These sacred spectacles, in grouping, evolution,
decoration and music, possessed qualities that entitle them to a
respectable place in the annals of opera ballet. The steps were
primitive, but they sufficed for the times.

However, the organization of the first real opera ballet conforming to
standards of modern excellence did not come till the latter part of
the fifteenth century, when Cardinal Riario, a nephew of Pope Sixtus
IV, composed and staged a number of important ballet productions.

But the greatest development of the modern type of ballet received its
impetus under the reign of Louis XIV of France, who founded the
national ballet academy at Paris in 1661, and often played prominent
parts himself. Under this influence great performers began to appear,
artists whose work, by grace of beauty alone, attested that perfection
in ballet technique was approaching.

The growth of the ballet since the time of Louis XIV has been the
contribution of individual artists, who by giving expression to their
own original ideas have thus advanced the art to the pinnacle attained
by the modern Russian ballet of today.

The above outline of the history of the dance is made brief
intentionally, with no attempt to touch upon the various forms of
dancing as practiced by the many nations and tribes. Numerous books
have been written covering all aspects of this subject, and giving in
detail the steps and rhythms of the people of every age, and of every
continent and the isles of the sea; and as matters of interest,
education and research they are competent and complete, and especially
edifying to the student of Terpsichore.

But the subject that interests us is not concerned with ancient lore
nor with historical data, however delightful they may be. I am writing
for the American of today about present-day matters in the American
theatrical world, and to that end choose to ignore all other phases of
the subject.

In our day the development of the dance has reached its greatest
heights, in both the social circle and the stage picture.

The advance made in stage dancing within the last generation has been
very pronounced, yet so gradual has been this growth and improvement,
that only the elders of the present time can visualize its progress,
and that only by a backward look to the period of paucity and mo