Emma Carus

Emma Carus (1879-1927), American actress, singer and dancer, returns to Broadway, New York, 1914
(photo: Friedman, Chicago, circa 1913)

‘It remained for Maggie Cline, at the Palace, to really win out as an exponent of the modern dance. Miss Cline still does her song tragedy of Mike’s unfortunate invasion of the bull ring, her ”None of Them’s Got Anything on Me,” and ”Since Mrs. McNott Has Learned the Turkey Trot.” This leads up to the Cline Tango, and the Celtic comedienne’s challenge to any masculine ”tangoist” in the audience… .
‘Emma Carus returned to Broadway – at the Colonial. Miss Carus sings and introduces a travesty of the much travestied turkey trot, maxixe and the up-to-the-minute terpsichorean evolutions, assisted by a young dancer, Carl Randall. None of the acrobatic twirls daunt Miss Carus, who ”hesitations” [sic] with plump nonchalance.
‘All of which leads us to the suggestion that Miss Carus might be a joy in a dancing contest with Maggie Cline.’
(The New York Dramatic Mirror, New York, Saturday, 21 January 1914, p. 22a-c)

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Maurice Mouvet and Florence Walton

Maurice (Mouvet) and Florence Walton (fl.1912-1916), American dancers and early exponents of the Tango (photo: White, New York, 1912/13)

‘ENGLISH WOMEN OBSERVE THE TANGO

‘LONDON, June 13 [1914]. – The King and Queen saw the tango as danced in New York for the first time last night as a dinner given by the Grand Duke Michael preceding a ball for the Countess Nada Torby at the Grand Duke’s residence, Kenwood, Hamstead [sic]. The dancers, Maurice and Florence Walton, are the first Americans to appear by royal command to dance. Maurice was once a Bowery denizen, and Florence was formerly a chorus girl.

‘They danced after dinner in the drawing-room before the ball started. Only thirty persons were present, including Countess Torby, the Duchess of Marlborough, the Countess Nada and Zia Torby, the Grand Duke Paul, the Countess of Granard, the Duke and Duchess of Teck, Premier Asquith and Ambassador Page. They danced for forty-five minutes continuously. They had omitted the tango for fear of the royal displeasure, but the Queen asked Countess Torby: ”Can they dance the tango for us? I’ve never seen it.”

‘So the tango was danced. Florence Walton wore an unslit dress at the request of a court official.’ (Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, 12 June 1914, p. 15a)