The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-20

-I and the weaving eDf her stems. Her cobra dance Is realistic and uncsnny. the inteftwining Of her fingers and movement of her arms representing snakes Whereas with these dancers music forms an integral part, 1t lis done away with in the work of a Philadel- pms artist, who dances in a "dffn, re- 3lgions light" Her dance of the Gre @lion IS sombre, wonderful thing, done in absolute silence and in the haif light. She says that mo music can convey the impression which she is trying to give, So each indiyidual soul has to attune itself to some har- monizing melody.
 Gertrude Hoffnnan is to America what exact copy .ofs4he English artist Her voluptuous dance or Salome holds tf1e oniooker with horrible fascination. To watch her in her flowing draperies or diaphanous wreath and writfe about the pallid head of John the Baptist. pow shuddering. now in an ecstacS of love. now crushing it to her, then pedestal nearby, is a ghastiy and re- pellantly fascinating sight.
 Mary Garden. the splendid prima don- na, Is the latest addition of note to the Salomes. She is appearing in Richard Strauss opera of that name. giving her interpretation of the much discussed pas seul in &he daans of the ~t'seven yeiIsR in which. while going through her gyrstlonss she strips herself of aev- en wells, tone at time. Julia Mar lowe, too, has proved her prowess in the same dance. Besides these csie- brated Salomes there are some two dozen lesser lights upon the vaudeville stage.
 Tn ancient times the dance was used solely to express emotion, and was religious, social or warlike, each dis tfnct and betokening the inner feel inss of the dancer. It was taken very seriously, each part being performed with exaetness. In certain tribes a sim gle mistake mistake in a dance was punished by death. These dances were done more with the arms and bodies than with the feet, and to the accom- paniment of music beat in perfect tina upon crude instruments. D
 The American Indians retain many of their old forms handed down from unknown generations. They danced them until the Government, in latter years. put a stop to them, as being the means of arousing too much ex- cftenfent. One of the chief festivals of this people was the Sun Dance, a kind of religious observanace and cel- ebration of the maturity of the young braves. who put themselves 10 the most
 
 prove their endurance and stotelsnl. In contrast to this is the wonderful dance to the. Sun Goddess, which is an an- nual occurrence in Japan. It is a weird spectacle which appeals both to the eye and the imagination of the be. holder.
 Tn Italy. one of the most interesting for tourists fs the dance of the Tarantella. a wild frenzy of motion, originally supposed to be the only cure for the form of insanity produced by the bite of the tarantula. According to records, Christianity at first encouraged dancing, as heritage from the Hebrews. Although this has passed away in most places, Q curious survival of the old custom Is found In Seville, where tha choir boys of the cathedral each year go through Q sacred dance with great solemnity.
 The first revival of dancing, as an art, was in Italy in the fifteenth ceh- tury. After the ballot was transplant cd to France by Catherine de Medici. where it rooted itself so deeply that France now leads all countries in grace and refinement of dancing. The qua drille is the patriarch of our popular dances, being. centuries old in Europe before 1t came to America in 1915. ! Upon it's arrival here 1t superseded the stately minuet, and was in turn dis- placed by the ever popular round dance. The Virginia reel. or as it was some- times called. the Sir Roger De Cow erIy, is an old-tIme dance which the young people even now seem loath to . part with. The waltz. the Nestor of round dances. was given to us by Ger many in 1874 The two-step. the most popular of all modern dances, is pure ly American.
 (Copyright. 1909, by Frederic !. Has. Ein.)