an must have his fingers on
the public pulse in matters that concern entertainment. He cannot
afford to guess. It is too expensive. He must correctly diagnose the
case in advance of prescribing for its needs if he expects to be
successful.

The wise showman always plans his play to have the very widest
possible appeal, for the public is many sided, and a single narrow
idea will fail to touch it at all points, as it must do if it is to
have a popular acceptance. He knows, being a wise showman, that people
come to his playhouse for entertainment, pleasure, laughter and
relaxation, and not for a learned discourse on some abstract or
wearisome theme. There are proper places for the lecture and the "big
wind," but that place is not in the theatre of the wise showman. It is
his business to create his proffered entertainment into a valuable
piece of property that shall declare actual cash dividends at the box
office. That is being a successful showman, and he who does this
exhibits real showmanship.

The successful stage dancer must possess showmanship. That is why the
subject is brought into this book on stage dancing--that dancers may
be made to realize a need of which they may be wholly uninformed.

It takes showmanship on the part of the dancer to get fully in touch
with the audience, get down to their level, if you like to say it that
way, and never go over their heads. Successful dancers always use good
judgment in their offerings. The same kind of dance does not do for
vaudeville, musical comedy, revue and opera. Each requires its own
kind of dance. The revue has its own audience, the musical comedy one
of another character, vaudeville still a third kind, and opera still
another. Here is where the dancer's showmanship comes in--to
recognize this difference and adapt the offering to the audience
before whom he or she appears.

Dancers who would profit to the fullest extent in their profession
must learn how to absorb this essential element known as showmanship,
in the various ways in which it may be done.

Reading along right lines is very important. Read the dramatic reviews
and criticisms in the daily press, and read regularly the leading
theatrical weeklies. Identify yourself with your profession in this
way; read "shop" and talk "shop." Make it a point to see and study
other dancers, in vaudeville, musical comedy, opera and revue. Meet
your fellow dancers in their own habitat, behind the scenes. The
actual exp