The sun., 1910-01-30

right to say that to me than the musician
who had devoted his life to interpreting
the works OF that great master; so l have
never since that time put any Beethoven
numbers on my programme. don't
think l ever will. but l am not in the
habit OF, making my plans too definite
or too long in advance
Miss Allan denies that during this period
she was a pupil OF Isadora Duncan.
although the other dancer declares that
Miss Allan came to her and said she
wanted TO dance and could not ahord
10 paw for instruction. II was then
that Miss Duncan says she invited her
COmpatr lot to come to her classes and
see her teach the young girls under her
instruction at that time.
IL was in 1880 that Miss Allan conceived
the idea OF dancing TO interpret by pose
and movement the music and pictures
that appealed to her imagination. Even
interpretative dancing requires some
preparation, as il was three years before
she was able TO come before the public
with the finished product OF her study.
IL is interesting for future interpretative
dancers TO learn what her methods OF
preparation were.
After studying the poses in the museum
at Berlin and designing the draperies
that l thought were appropriate she
told the reporter, Il would take some
piece OF music by Schumanp, Schubert
or Bach-I even took Beethoven at my
practice, for Joachim had not spoken tn
me then about his Beethoven and
would tIy to interpret the imp. impression io1
over and over again TO bring out the i'm
preston that the music aroused in me
without being in the least successful.
Then I would suddenly after repeated
trials find the exact expression in dance
for the mood the music created. Then
Marcel Remy would often come and play
for me in my study. improvising on the
piano, watching to see how we'll | ex-
pressed the feelings Of the music and how
promptly I obeyed the impulses which
the music aroused. That was splendid
practice and although it took three years
work I was ready when the time for my
debut in Vienna came with programme
that was to last two hours and included
pieces by Bach, Beethoven, Schubert
and Schumann. There was 10 be both
piano spd orchestral accompaniment.
Let the American girls who think they
can go on the stage and dance without
any more than q few hours preparation
remember that il took me three full years
before ! even attempted 70 come before
the p1blic.r
Miss Allan travelled over most OF Europe
during the six years that followed her
Vienna debut, dancing in the music halls
OF the large cities even as far down as
Belgrade. She had the usual experiences
OF the beginner with unScrupulous a gen Is,
VINO tfieO 10 roo nef ana IN some cases
did succeed in getting away with all ner
earnings, wirtch she had foolishly allowed
to accumulate in their care. In Paris
her good angel was Yvette Guilbert who
asked her to dance at a charity matinee
at which the King OF England was present
That made her London success easier
IL was after this matinee that the King
said she should dance for Queen Alex
andra in she ever came to London, a
promise which he kept. Her two years
OF London triumph we're full There
was no professional or social success pos
sible to a young girl dancing in a music
hall that did not come her way.
There is one feature OF the average
classical dancer which can never be kept
down. This is their patronizing view Of
the ballet.
-Of course ! regard ballet dancing as
a very degenerate form OF the beautiful
old dance OF the ancients." Miss Allan
said. -Of course IL would be idle to deny
that there is sometimes grace even in thai
mechanical form OF dancing which re-
uuirea it's devotees To suffer physical
pain while standing on their toes and
pirouetting about with a smile on their
faces. although every muscle ~ called on
to perform some unnhturel function to
maintain this formal old conception OF