opportunity to appear to advantage,
and be everlastingly grateful to whoever gives you your first
opportunity, or foothold which enables you to establish yourself.

Send a brief letter to the offices of various managers announcing your
forthcoming appearance. Enclose a good full-length photograph,
preferably in stage costume, the best you can afford, i.e., taken by
the best photographer you can get. Some of these managers or their
representatives will be there and see your performance. Be sure you
are "making good" before you try to interest any of the big managers.
It is better for you to be seen by the manager before an audience than
in an empty theatre.

Be satisfied to make a small beginning for the experience, provided
you get a chance to do your best dance. This will help you establish
yourself, but it is going to take a long time to prove your ability.
Travel, and make territory for yourself. Go in a vaudeville act, if
offered such an engagement. Keep on "small time" for a year, if
necessary, and get your name known in a certain territory for a
pleasing entertainer. Get on with some act, big or little, as a solo
dancer, at a reasonable salary, and expect the first two weeks to be
at half salary, as is usual. Do not demand a large salary until
managers are clamoring for your services--make it an inducement for
someone to employ you in the beginning.

When you start on a road tour your first inquiry of your company
manager will be for a "copy of the route." You want to know where
you are going, what towns your itinerary takes you to, so that friends
can be advised in advance of your location day by day, and letters and
communications reach you with certainty.

[Illustration: ONE SCENE FROM NED WAYBURN'S "DEMI-TASSE REVUE."]

To the trouper, a town is a "stand." A week's showing in a place is
spoken of as a "week stand"; the first and last half of the week is
each a "three-day stand," or "four-day stand," or the "first" or
"last-half." Then there is a "two-day stand" and a "one-night stand,"
which are self-explanatory. A "run" is a greater period than a "week
stand," and you hear of a "two-week run," an "eight-week run," "six
months run," and "one year run," etc.

There is a solid season, a theatrical year of forty weeks, of travel,
experience and development, beginning about Labor Day and ending about
Decoration Day, and a summer season beginning about the first Monday
in June and ending about the last Satu