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Washington, D.C., circa 1919. "Radium dance group." We'll bet they got glowing reviews. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.
Another take from this photo session appeared in the February 7, 1914, Washington Post. The dancers were being photographed on occasion of an amateur production of "Columbia". Left-to-right: Misses Audrey Johnson, Frances Miller, Anne Pennebacker, and Anne Darsie.
Radium was far too expensive to actually be used in the dance. Instead, theaters would obtain the glow-in-the-dark effect by dipping white costumes in phosphorescent dyes and exposing the garments to strong lights before the performance.
"The "Radium Dance" was written by Jean Schwartz for the Broadway musical "Piff! Paff! Pouf!" You can listen to a recording of the score here.
I'm not sure what a "radium dance" was but here's some sheet music for it...
. . . and the boss's daughter.
They do look radiant. Pretty lasses, especially the charmer on the left.
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