Excerpt from Outlines of the Delsarte System of Expression, Arranged for Use of ClassesWhile these outlines are not claimed to be authoritative respecting the system of expression taught by Francois Del sarte, most of the charts, Ihave reason to believe, are those which he himself used.They represent, in substance, the form of instruction received from one of the Delsarte pupils several years ago, together with such modifications and explanations as I have been able to secure since.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The larger-than-life story of an American dance icon.

This study chronicles the American adaptation of the theory and practice of the French acting, singing, and aesthetics teacher, Francois Delsarte. Delsartism was introduced in the United States by Steele Mackaye, Delsarte's only American student. American Delsartism, with its emphasis on physical culture and expression, differed significantly from Delsarte's works in France. The system evolved from professional training for actors and orators to a means of physical culture and expression that became popular among middle and upper class American women and girls. It allowed nineteenth-century women to pay attention to their bodies, to explore their own physicality, and to perform in a socially acceptable venues. In its later manifestations, Delsartism influenced the innovative dance of such artists as Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, and Ted Shawn. Biographical information on the most notable figures in the development of American Delsartism is presented along with a discussion of the spread of Delsartism throughout the United States and to Germany. The Delsartean approach to training and expression is traced from Delsarte and Mackaye through the theory, teaching, and performance of Genevieve Stebbins, the most notable American proponent of the system. This work will appeal to scholars of dance history and of late nineteenth-century women's studies. Theater historians will appreciate the detailed account of the system as developed and taught by Steele Mackaye as training for actors. Although Delsartism has been acknowledged as relevant to the history of modern dance, scant information and research has previously been published which explores the movement in depth and discusses its importance to women's physical and cultural education in nineteenth-century America. Photographs illustrate the text and an extensive bibliography serves as a useful guide for further research.