25 Mar 1915 – Joan Sawyer

Joan Sawyer in “shepherdess” costume, dancing with her partner a modernized version of the stately minuet used to believe in fairies,” as Chauncey Olcott used to sing—but Joan Sawyer sings it in the present tense!  Joan Sawyer believes in fairies particularly, and in elfin sprites, wood nymphs and the whole list of storybook people generally and with very good reason, too. Here’s what believing in fairies did for Joan Sawyer:  Started her in as a stenographer for a plumber at seven dollars a week, and in five years put her in touch with the world of modern dances—not the Pavlowa kind of dances, mind you, or the Adelaide Genee type—but modern dances, the kind that turn you into a millionaire overnight, as they have the Castles.  New York society dances, yes; hut when it sits down to rest and wipe the perspiration from its brow, then enter Joan Sawyer—Joan Sawyer, “Do you over-graceful, making you think of the fountain of youth—Joan Sawyer, who is turning the modern dances into classics, who puts grace and rhythm into the fox trot and turns a canter into an elusive movement suggestive of iambic verse”.  That’s the way they try to describe it. No leader of the “400″ in New York could think of giving a nail unless Joan Sawyer appeared during the evening.  Not long ago she opened the famous fashion fete with a grace not entirely natural to the fox trot. In a Kurzman gown which was almost a crinoline without the hoop, she danced so beautifully that not a finger moved in the big hall. It was such dancing as no mere novice could aspire to.  New York has gone mad about Joan Sawyer. There is a certain piquant charm which is not eccentricity about her. She shows that the modern dances can be made as graceful as the older ones. And New York is trying to prove it after her.  That’s why pretty Joan Sawyer sits in the lap of fortune- now and does homage to the fairies that she believes in.  Another show came to town and Jane applied for a position in the chorus. A young man in the company who was a good dancer wrote some “patters” and they went into vaudeville and made a hit in the West and South with their dancing.  Where upon Joan went to New York. She had a nickel in her purse when she got there, and only by odd bits of work here and there such as singing at department store music counters was she able to exist. It took her four months to land a position in a show at Columbus Circle. The show lasted in two weeks; Joan Sawyer was again out of a job.  Maurice is looking for a dancing partner,” someone told her.  Without a word Joan with tense lips went to a telephone and called up Louis Martin’s (Mar-tan’s, please, with the accent on the last syllable), and asked for Maurice’s phone number. Instead of giving her that they connected her with the office of the famous dancer direct.  “This is Maurice,” came a voice.  The first step in the Argentine tango.  And then Joan Sawyer said simply that she had heard he needed a partner. Maurice told her to call the next day. So that night she took the elevator boy at the place where she stayed to be her escort to Martin’s. She had, of course, to see Maurice dance. The famous artist after a brilliant performance which won much applause asked if there was any lady present who would like to dance with him.  Joan Sawyer’s heart was in her mouth. Timidly she stood up and came forward. Her good fairy was urging her. They hadn’t danced a minute where Maurice asked: “Do you happen by any chance to work for a living?”  “I am the girl who called you up today.” said Joan.  Maurice was so surprised that he almost missed a step.  “You’ll do,” he said.  This happened two years ago. Today Joan Sawyer Is known all over America and fame and fortune smile upon her.  Joan Sawyer, charming dancer, who rose from plumber’s stenographer to fame and riches through artistic performance of modern dances.  She was a very sentimental young girl and had devoted much time and tender thought to the home decorations. Her surprise may he imagined when she came down stairs one morning and found the decorations moved around, and all the mistletoe hanging in the windows.  “Say, sister.” exclaimed her little brother, “you’ve had that mistletoe hanging up for nearly a week, and you haven’t had a single customer. You’re not up-to-date. What’ you want to do is to advertise