Actresses.. To bow or Kirtsy? (sp)

[Toadman]

Ok, this is old-school, but I've seen it enough lately on award/musial performance shows that it begs a comment...

I've seen several live and TV shows where an actress(non-gender-specific actor nowadays?) has actually courtsied(sp) instead of bowed like a male actor after a performance. The response was from the audience was extremely enthusiastic in all cases. Not because they are actresses, but maybe because it is a nowaday-archaic yet sincere gesture of gratitude for a performance well done by a woman, who maybe doesn't want to differentiate themselves from male actors, even while wearing a dress or skirt in the performance? Bah, besides the point...

For the young-uns, a courtsey (sp?)(kirtsie, kirtsy?) is where a female performer slips one ankle behind the other and does a knee dip, head up instead of bowed, holding their dress or skirt away from the hips for a moment if they are wearing one, or doing the same while holding hands with fellow performers.

Most stage/music performers grasp hands and do a simultaneous bow. *Snore*. To see otherwise is an anomaly, especially from an actress(gawd, Hollywierd hates the term "Actress"nowadays, like it's demeaning or second-class to male "Actors").

What do you think about this old tradition of kirtsying(sp!)? Demeaning? Can someone provide proper spelling and a link also?

It can either be spelled curtsy, or curtsey.

Bowing and curtsying didn't actually originate from performance, I believe. The action probably came from servents showing respect to their masters. Ie the butler bowing or the maid curtsying after being given a task or dismissed. Think royalty and servents here. Standard even today in most matriarchies, etc.

I'm probably wrong though.

Actors and actresses probably do it to thank and show respect to the audiance for watching and complimenting the performance (with applause, cheering etc).

Of course I'm super tired and I could have made all that up too.