New-York tribune., 1910-02-20
Anglo-American Memories
5cop-risht. 1910. By George " smsu.y

The Danse des Apaches in Farls IL an
indecent dance. Miss Collier feiiuei'
freest movements with reserve p"' '''0
significance of II remains Ii Is O. any
rate. real dance. and not hhe MISS
Allan's in ''SaIorne" q compromise pc
tween poses pIastiques and something
else. The Danse Creole. N Coioiiel
Newnhann Dsvis's ballet. Round the
World has a different motif, put MISS
Collier dances il with the same mastery
and the same dramatic effect
The doctrine OF dancing is less under
stood in London than in any other EURO
pean capital. or perhaps than in any
other great capital except New Aork'
where il is not understood at all. Alike
in London and in New York, If a dancer
is quick on her feet and has an EXPIRES
sive face. she may acquire great celeb
-ity and a great popularity, although she
never attempts a difficult figure. since
the dancing craze set in, one dancer
after another has come from the Con
tinent TO London, mostly from Russia
There is beyond doubt a school OF dane
ing in St Petersburg, but the pick OF
the basket remains in the Russian cap
ital. Some OF those who have been lent
TO London are good dancers, but not the
best. They are all advertised as the
best. which seems to answer the same
purpose.
The story of Mile Genee's connection
with the Empire Theatre IN London is
good enough example Of what may be
done by advertising. She danced there
for some years, unknown and unno ticed-
She was not even billed" Her name
never appeared in the papers or on the
front of the theatre. She danced then
neither better nor worse than now After
q time the mana cement seemed to be-
come aware that they had in this Dan
ish lady possible star. Her name fig
ured in print. She was announced as an
attraction. Ballets were mounted for
her, one after another. The public of
the halls" is in London a docile public.
and when invited to admire. admires- 1t
thronged the Empire, which, like some
other places of amusement. is hall
which calls itself a theatre Royalty
began 10 take notice: perhaps the surest
of all ways of inducing others to take
notice. The Queen sent for Mile Genee
into her box Society took up the note;
il became the thing TO accept and eXtol
this lady as a dancer. Presently the
facade of the Empire bore an inscrip-
tion in gilt letters. 'AdeIine Genee: the
Worlds Grea test Dancer" It had taken
the Empire people many years 10 make
this discovery. L was all cleverly done,
Il,
matte critics, whose ideas about dancing
are. for the most part, of q primitive
kind, echoed in good faith the interested
panegyrics Of the Empire manager.
Alas, no sooner was Mile. Genee's back
turned upon London and her face set
westward than there appeared upon the
front Of the Empire another flaming leg
end: Lydia hyashkt, Europes Greatest
Dancer For dancing purposes the
world and Europe mean much the same
thing, and bewildered public could only
conclude that this hemisphere held two
dancers, both greatest, or each greater
than the other. Nile. kyasht had been
better taught than Mile Genee and was
much younger. and very much prettier,
but never quite succeeded TO the throne
on which the adorers of the little Danish
woman had placed her. She was adver-
tised by the ever enterprising Empire
mana cement as Premiere Danseuse Of
the Imperial Theatre Of ST. Petersburg
She certainly was never that, and it has
been said she never danced q solo IN that
theatre. However that may be she has
danced great many in London, and
her technique viii compare favorably
with Mile. GenAe's.
AS the Empire and the Alhambrs are
rivals and each calls itself the home Of
ballet each must have star ballet
dancer The Alhambra has as rival to
Mile. Kyasht, Mile. Britta. who, like
Nile. Genee, halls from Denmark. She
came 70 London imperfectly trained, but
has studied, and in the latest AIhambra
ballet, Our Flag" dances with q light
ness and spirit pleasant TO see Both
Mile. Britta and Mile kyasht-out of
whose name the second TX has been
dropped-belong 10 the classical school
but neither Of them any more than Nile.
Genee can be said 70 have found & place
in the front rank G Y. ;.