Carmen Dauset Moreno, better known simply as Carmencita (1868–1910), was a Spanish-style dancer in American pre-

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

variety and music hall ballet.

Biography

Born in

Almería Almería (, , ) is a city and municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of Almería, province of the same name. It lies in southeastern Iberian Peninsula, Iberia on the Mediterranean S ...

, Andalusia, Spain, Carmencita took dancing lessons in Malaga and first danced professionally at Malaga's Cervantes Theatre in 1880. In 1882 she toured Spain and later traveled to Paris and Portugal. She returned to Paris during the

Exposition Universelle (1889) The of 1889 (), better known in English as the 1889 Paris Exposition, was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 6 May to 31 October 1889. It was the fifth of ten major expositions held in the city between 1855 and 1937. It attracted more t ...

and danced at the Nouveau Cirque where theatrical agent Bolossy Kiralfy saw her performance and subsequently induced her to come to the United States under his management. She debuted in New York on August 17, 1889, dancing in the ballet of "Antiope." Her association with Kiralfy ended in early 1890, and she rose to fame under the management of John Koster and Albert Bial, who put her in their 23rd Street Concert Hall commencing 10 February 1890. Over the next several years Carmencita performed in major cities across the country. She appeared in Koster & Bial's new

Music Hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

in November and early December 1894 before selling her possessions and returning to Europe. She performed at the

Palace Theatre, London The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. Its red-brick facade dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus, London, Cambridge Circus behind a small plaza near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Chari ...

in February 1895 and then periodically at the

Théâtre des Nouveautés The Théâtre des Nouveautés ("Theatre of the New") is a Parisian theatre built in 1921 and located at 24 boulevard Poissonnière (Paris, 9th arr.). The name was also used by several earlier Parisian theatre companies and their buildings, begin ...

in Paris.

Appearances in painting and film

Carmencita inspired rhapsodic poetry and prose. Today, she is noted for having had her portrait painted by such notable artists as

John Singer Sargent John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 15, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era, Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil ...

William Merritt Chase William Merritt Chase (November 1, 1849October 25, 1916) was an American painter, known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later became the Parsons School of Design. ...

and

James Carroll Beckwith James Carroll Beckwith (September 23, 1852 – October 24, 1917) was an American Landscape art, landscape, Portrait painter, portrait and Genre works, genre painter whose Realism (arts), Naturalist style led to his recognition in the late ninetee ...

as well as her role in an eponymous short film, one of many early instances of filmed theater. According to film historian

Charles Musser Charles John Musser (born 16 January 1951) is a film historian, documentary filmmaker, and a film editor. Since 1992, he has taught at Yale University, where he is currently a professor of Film and Media Studies as well as American Studies ...

, Carmencita was the first woman to appear in a modern motion picture made for commercial purposes and may have been the first woman to appear in a motion picture within the United States. In the film she is recorded going through a routine she had been performing at

Koster and Bial's Music Hall Koster and Bial's Music Hall was an important vaudeville theatre in New York City, located at Broadway and Thirty-Fourth Street, where Macy's flagship store now stands. It had a seating capacity of 3,748, twice the size of many theaters. Ticket ...

in New York City since February 1890. Carmencita (1894).webm, Carmencita in the film Carmencita, by William Merritt Chase.jpg, ''Carmencita'', by

La Carmencita, by John Singer Sargent.jpg, ''La Carmencita'', by

Olympia Carmencita.jpg, Poster of Carmencita for the Paris music-hall Olympia

Filmography

References

External links

Library of Congress
*
''Carmencita''
at Google Video – Note that this also contains other footage
Portraits of Carmen Moreno
(NYPublic Library) {{Authority control 1868 births 1910 deaths American artists' models American female dancers American dancers Articles containing video clips People from Almería Place of death missing Spanish artists' models Spanish emigrants to the United States Spanish female dancers