Training A Debutante

Southland Times, Issue 22487, 23 January 1935, Page 5

Training A Debutante

The training of sixty of New South Wales’s most lovely girls to curtsy for his Royal Highness was, as one felt it would be, wholly delightful. I maxe no apology for asserting that the most critical could hardly deny that they responded most nobly (states Agnes Duncan in the Sydney Sun). Most of the girls who arrived at my studio were uniformed schoolgirls, swotting at leaving exams.

The metamorphosis was breathtaking.

However, there were some fixed ideas, the removal of which had to be organized. The general idea was that the girls had to bow their heads, and that the lower the bow the better the curtsy. Explanations were indicated. The deep court curtsy is the obeisance; the debutantes must look straight at the Prince, and smile at him during the curtsy. Not much fun for his Royal Highness to see nothing but the parting of a girl’s hair!

There was also a prevalent idea that curtsies made on other occasions would suffice. Now the court curtsy is a very special affair, and is not generally learnt in a minute. It is done with the feet close together in a crossed position so that neither foot can be a trap for the unwary by catching in the hem or fold of the frock, and it’s a long, long way down! It was quite no trouble to convince the girls that “it hurt them more than me.” We started with wobbles aplenty, but the worst was yet to come. Their subsequent stiffness differed solely in degree. I am credibly informed that the services of a masseuse were necessary in at least one case before any steps and stairs could be negotiated. Their cruel teacher allowed no respite, demanding a ten minutes practice night and morning until the stiffness wore off. Most of them assured me, not without grimness, that they would not soon forget the almost complete absence of ease during the first days. When I say I shuddered at the thought of presenting cripples to his. Royal Highness, it means nothing. It is to be remembered also that the honour of instructing these girls was conferred on me by the Country Women’s Association. The prospect of letting such an association down occasioned further spinal shivers. However, like almost all human worries, this fear was groundless; the girls responded, as I said before, most nobly. The next question was—would the Prince shake hands? As it was in doubt, we had to train for either contingency. Needless to say, a. dignified walk is imperative—no swinging of the arms or swaying of the hips and shoulders. A posy of flowers was to be held in the left hand, and the right hand just held loosely by the side. If the Prince offered his hand it was a simple matter for the debutantes to take it in a natural manner. Fortunately we rehearsed this, for His Royal Highness honoured all the girls by shaking hands with them. Though the whole presentation was over within ten minutes, I apologize, to no one but Mr Kipling for observing that those unforgiving minutes were very full indeed of sixty seconds’ worth of distance run.