Introduction Dance in 18th Century Theatre Dance in Music Halls and Variety  Ballet at the Alhambra and Empire Theatres Adeline Genée Skirt Dancing The Tiller Girls

Letty Lind's Skirt Dance

Skirt dancing was made famous by Kate Vaughan the 1880s. The dance was based on the graceful manipulation of the skirts, which could contain up to 12 metres of fabric. Skirt dancing was thought to be refined, tasteful and tantalizing. It was said that the motion of skirts rippled like the froth on the sea (such were the voluminous underskirts that Victorian ladies wore). Because it was less specialised and more lady-like than many dance forms, society ladies were able to learn the skirt dance as drawing room entertainment.

Listen to an interview with Miss Garrett on teaching the skirt dance to young ladies. [Download]

Skirt Dancing in 1892

Letty Lind's Skirt Dance

Topsy Sinden

Skirt dancing was developed by individual dancers each adding their own style to the dance. When Lettie Lind danced in America in 1888 the critics were surprised to see a dancer who did not show her legs and breasts. In the 1890s skirt dancing became wilder. There was a craze for the Can-Can and some skirt dancers, like Katie Seymour, incorporated high kicks into their routine. Some people thought this was a vulgar version of the graceful skirt dance. Lottie Collins devised her own cross between skirt dancing and the Can-Can in her performance of her hit song, ‘Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay’.

'Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay'

Letty Lind's Skirt Dance

The manipulation of yards of fabric was developed by later performers, most notably Loie Fuller. She extended her arms using long wooden wands to which the fabric was fixed. When she moved the wands the lighting changed colour over the flowing fabric, creating beautiful shapes, that were immortalised as figurines and lamps by Art Nouveau designers. Other dancers used electric lighting within the costumes. Marie Leyton danced against a Black Background so that the illuminations in her costume could be seen. This was called the Electrical Serpent Dance.

The Electrical Serpentine Dance

Listen to the skirt dance 'Zerlina' composed by G.Jacobi, from the Alhambra Ballet Don Juan. [Download]