The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-03-08
The Silver Star a Worthy
Background for DiStin-
guiShed DanSeuSe.
WORK ENHANCED
BY GOOD BALLET
Bickel and Watson Win Marked
Favor With Old and New
Stunts"
By 7. R. HILDEBRAND.

With only a tentative essay al classic
steps: with no attempt TO interpret
mu! &c: with body and limb securely clad,
Nile. Adeline Genee won applause from
large audience at the National Fheatei
last evening that would nave made the
heart of anv classic dancer glad.
There is slight ground for comparing
Mile Genee with the passing show oil
interpetrative dancers seen in the CAPT.
tai within this season save that art
Tor arts sake, and scantlly clad. has
found less justification al other hands
and feet-tnan from Mile Genee, who
rarely mentions art at all
With this Young woman dancing is the
thing and the music subordinates itself
u her. II was a pleasant relief, and
this is no disparag cement Of the classical
s., hooI. TO forsake mental maTathOning
from orchestra TO toe. and back agsiu,
and settle down to Ben Franldin's good
American axiom Of doing one thing n
a time.
Given Adequate Setting.
Nile. Genee-s art has reached that
nearly perfect stage where she does
Wonders with no suggestion Of effort,
and swlrIs about in queer but grace
ful contortions that do not recall an
acrobat Her dancing was given a re-
.rIendenJ setting i'm The Silver star
which sciutillated with the, brilliancy
tuat the name suggests. In the first act
sre stepped down from d lighted
Christmas tree and did a fairy dance,
a march mIlltaire. and a hoTnpipe.
An enulgent array Of crystal pendants
formed the background for the one
dance that Outshone the others, The
Spirit of Champagne. There was some
ming of the intoXICation of that beV-
erage i'm the scintiilant, airy motions OF
The Spirit. The number probably
held the essence Of all that was grace
fuI in the old ballet, the only school our
forcfstheTs knew and which was an
auxiliary 10 opera for many years
'-SpriuEtimS, danced 90 Gasers mu-
sic, bore the slightest hint of the cIassi-
cal school by its resemblance Co Men
UUlsshOn s Spring Song, long time
fJroritc with the Interpretive artists
Iut Mile. Genee did not forsake her
-fp toes, even for this, and II her entire
foot touched the floor while she was on
inc stage, few saw Il.
The work OF The premiere dauCCuse
was enhanced by her coryphccs, vino
could dance as well in their limitations
as could she. They swayed through
The fairy dance, marcned To the u".
pipe. spaLLlled here and there 10 her
Spirit of Champagne and were never
out OF harmony with the picture.
BickeI and Watson.
Mile Genee was not the whole show.
II came near being one of those stu
pcnJoUs aESrcgations of superior en-
tcrJaincrs and spectacular novelties
that the circus bnIboards tell aobuL
And BIckcI and Watson were chief
clowns The variety OF the pair has
not stated a whit since the 1907 brand
Of "Follies' w.s unCorkcd, and they
only suffer little IN the first act from
being on he stage more than their
lines and business justified. Later they
. won attention i'm various DISCUSSES. They
got the best hand. though, with the
h'cZy clarinet and the rusty trombone
Swathcd about in red flannel They did
the old stunt" much better than be-
fore.
Nor is that all There was a bright
little maid, Ann Taskor 10y name, who
would almost nave justified q mUsica
comedy UnaideG with her songs. Mr..
Vera willing was Miss Emma JauvieI
a. comic opera fame FOR To- these many
moons, and new star ShOnC in Miss
Morris. who wouldn't have needed 20
spell her first name Margaret 10 h" re-
ruenlbered. Why not Eive her another
song or fWOr She made out OF Franco
American RaEtimC." which dOesn't
sound inviting. one Of the best songs or
the evening and was just as captiva ting
when she was TeleEated to the place Of
honor I'm the chorus.
When passing bouquets II Isn't fair "a
lose sight OF Hiss Gabrielle and Miss
Lewis. who t'ined with BIckel and
Watson in us a Loving Wife for
Nine"
In truth. but not in drawinE-room par
lance, IL Is classy show.