und the waist line is
essential, and a series of strengthening activities is given to this
end.

Imagine that you are in practice costume, one of a class of students
similarly dressed, standing in line on a padded rug in my Foundation
Technique studio. The instructor begins with the simple exercises, and
directs you through a number of them during an hour's lesson today,
repeating them briefly tomorrow and adding new ones to those you
learned yesterday, till soon you have progressed through the entire
list. The work is done rhythmically to music, and all exercises are in
eight counts. Each is repeated in measured time till the class masters
it, and the student is requested to practice the lessons at home
faithfully and earnestly, and the proficiency thus acquired is looked
for in the class work of the day after.

[Illustration: NW]

Here are a dozen of the Ned Wayburn series of Limbering and Stretching
exercises selected from my Foundation Technique:

[Illustration: EXERCISE 1.

_For limbering and stretching the triceps, and loosening the waist
line along the sides._]

Stand erect, head up, heels together, arms down at sides, raise right
arm straight up over the head. Bend body to left as far as you can,
sliding left hand down the thigh. Return to erect position, then with
left arm raised bend to right. Alternate left and right eight times to
count of "one, lean; two, lean," etc.

[Illustration: LOUISE GROODY]

[Illustration: EXERCISE 2.

_For loosening the dorsi and abdominal muscles, developing muscles of
chest and waist line._]

Stand erect, chin in, heels together, toes pointed out, raise left arm
straight over head, right arm down at side. Swing right hand up over
head also, and lean the body right oblique. Swing both arms down, then
up and lean left oblique. Do this for eight counts of "one, lean; two,
lean," etc.

[Illustration: EXERCISE 3.

_For limbering muscles of the back, biceps of the legs, developing
abdominal muscles and reducing waist line._]

(Forward bend.) Raise both arms straight over head the width of the
shoulders apart, heels together, knees stiff. Bend forward and touch
the floor with the palms of both hands, if you can, if you cannot,
then with the ends of the fingers. Raise arms again over head and lean
back as far as you can. Count "one, touch; two, lean," etc., to a
count of eight.

[Illustration: EXERCISE 4.

_For making the waist line flexible. It limbers the muscles o