The San Francisco call., 1908-11-08

Isadora Duncan dances; back to the
very morning of the world, when the
greatness of the soul found free express
sion in the beauty of the body; when
rhythm of motion corresponded with
rhythm of sound; when the movements
of the human body were one with the
wind and the sea; when the gesture OF
a womans arm was as the unfolding of
rose petal-the pressure of her foot
upon the sod as the drifting of leaf
to earth.
The morning of the world!' When
the great primitive JOY of living-joy
in the sun, the wind and the rain. in
the motion OF trees and waves, in the
beauty of blue hilltops and fragrant
flowers, found the expression 1t was
meant to have from the beginning, it
was inevitable that there should be
JOY in every movement. whether its
meaning was ecstasy, tenderness, re-
gret, sorrow. reverence or remuneration,
that expressed the greatest beauty of
which the human soul was capable.
When man and the universe moved to-
gether in rhythmic harmony. and all
the fervor of religion, of love, of pa
triotism. sacrifice or passion expressed
itself TO the measures of the cythara,
the harp or the timbrel; when men and
women danced before their gods and
their hearthstones in religious ecstasy,
or out in the forests and by the sea
because of the JOY of life that was in
them
such dancing as this is at its best
out in the sunlight, with harp and flute
and woodwind strains; yet so great is
the magic of Isadora Duncan's dancing
that even in a modern theater. she
makes you forget that you are hedged
in by foolish walls, and with music and
IL. Eop
to wild woods and the god Pan, with
his flute and dancing nymphs.
When Duncan danced in Paris great
artists and poets wept and congratu-
lated each other for such rare JOY. 1t
is most extraordinary-thes impression
this woman leaves with you even when
the dance is over and the stage empty!
You fancy a blue dome arching over
head, with glimmering stars and gentle
zephyrs blowing all her draperies, and
flowers growing thickly for so light a
foot to tread. You do not recall a sin
gle step" of all the dancing, for this
woman Of the hilltops has no practiced
step to remember.
One night, when Miss Duncan was
dancing in London, ELLEN Terry, who
was watching the performance for the
first time, suddenly sprang TO her feet,
tall and beautiful, turned around to the
audience, and exclaimed with dramatic
earnestness: DO you realize what you
are looking at? Do you understand
that this is the most incomparably
beautiful dancing in the world? Do you
appreciate what this woman is doing
for you-bringing back the lost beauty
of the old world of art?''
Miss Duncan spoke regretfully of her
New York engagement and admitted
that IL had been disastrous financially.
She came here with her brother, at her
own expense, having been guaranteed
a percentage of the receipts. New
Workers were not inclined to sit
through two or three hours of .enter-
tainment that consisted of dancing only.
by one artistic only, and without any ac-
cessories whatever except an accompa-
niment of classical music.
L have not been in California since
I left there - years ago." said Miss
Duncan, and, though l should be glad
to give an entertainment in San Fran
cisco, provided sufficient inducement
were offered, ! fear that my time is too
limited, so I have made my arrange
ments 10 return to Berlin. 1 have al
ready been gone too long from the
school in Berlin. and, inasmuch as l
maintain the school myself, / find it
necessary to get back as soon as pos
sible TO try and recoup some of the
money that I have lost through my
New York engagement. In Europe
make plenty of money. almost all of
which ] devote to maintenance of my
school in Berlin, where children are
taught my art under my direction"
Miss Duncan was somewhat averse to
discussing the identity of Maud Allan,
saying:
"Of course. she can not help what her
brother did and should not be held ac-
countable in any way for his deed
say this Notwithstanding the fact that
after / had been kind to Miss Durrant
she repudiated all knowledge of me-
She was introduced TO me as Miss Dur
rant, sister of Theodore. She knew that
/ was a Californian, too. and that 1 had
left California at about the time that
she did. / am always anxious TO aid
any young woman who is struggling to
make a living or a name for herself,
and my sympathy for the young woman
was aroused. ] frequently gave her
tickets 10. my entertainments, but she