New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-16
PHILOSOPHY OF THE DANCE
DANCING ILLUSTRATIVE OF CHARACTER
RATHER THAN MOVEMENT
UT rs NOT ONLY A PHYSICAL TRAINING" 81 l
A MENTAL. AS WELiA AND ADlS w l"N
SUPPORT THAT THE MIND RECEIVES
FROM THE BODY"

FROM THE BODY"
A large audience Of representative society women
gathered yesterday afternoon In the music room ."
the home Of Mrs. Arthur NJ. Dodge no ~ ,
Th'rty-fourth-st TO listen 10 lecture on ne y"
losophy Of the Dance by Elizabeth Bioren duncan
Gowned in cnging costume OF SOFT pear, s'"''
designed and made under her own direction 70
show instead Of conceallng the lines OF the BODY
Miss Duncan gave the conclusions found al 'ne
close Of ten years study OF the dance as illustrated
in the character formation Of children
Dancing" said Miss Duncan. IT'S illustrative OF
chara cter rather than movement and the character
OF a child is expressive Of the state Of the body The
dance is a series OF rhythmica movements, concen-
tration Of mind and body Il is the expression or
sensation by natural movements The exercise OF
dancing increaees the support that is received by the
mind from the body Through the practice OF move
ments typical to health health is regained Inc
teaching OF dancing to children is not only for ply
steal training. but mental as we'll II should be
training that will give character TO The body
Miss Duncan also explained that the dance can be
"a means Of expressing and increasing on music and
poetry" dance: can convey new IDEAS and new
SENSATIONS Illustrative OF these IDEAS Miss Isadora
Duncan. in a diaphanouS costume OF gray and rose,
appeared upon the platform erected at the end OF
the room. and did into dance numbers OF
verse" with Mrs. Dora Gray Duncan accompa-
MIST al the piano. and Miss Duncan giving the words
IN a soft recitativs
The first number. a Medieval Latin Students
Song was set TO a Strauss waltz. which Miss Isa-
dora Duncan Illustrated by a dance of joyous aban-
don. indicative Of the idea:
Spring is coming, onged-for spring
Now his JOY discloses
Dance OF Wandering by Paierewski gave
opportunity for entire change OF motion. Nevin's
story of Narcssus' then rendered. and awak-
cned hearty applause
A presentation of the following three quatrains
from the "Ruhaiyat" Of Omar Khayyam 20 the ac-
compartment OF one of Mendelssohn's Songs With
out Words conceded one OF the most eXqui-
site things on the programme:
An Love, could you and with him conslpre
To grasp this sorry scheme OF things entire.
Would not shatter II to bits and then
Remould 1t nearer TO the hearts desire,
Yon rising moon that looks for ,is again.
How Oft hereafter look for US
Through this same garden-and Cor one In van
And when. like her. oh saki. you shall pass
Among the guestS-Star-scatteredO on the grass
And In your blissful errand reach the spot
Where ! made one--turn down empty glass,
"A Sea Nymph," by Nevln. and the nadrlgal. II
went a-roaming maidens one bright day" done in
TO dance from Angelo Poliziano, were followed BY
another theme, "A Dance OF Mirth." TO the accom-
panment OF the whirl of a Strauss waltz
Among the guests were noted Mrs. Charles Alex
ander Mrs. Sous Mrs. William Schienen Mrs
Charles Franklin. Mrs II p LOOMS Mrs Rayljs
jules Reynal. Mrs Newcomb ami Mrs. Frederick
Pearson.
Miss Duncan Is now forming classes for children
during the summer at Newport and Tuxedo