New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-27
TAKES EXCEPTION
Bliss Carman Thinks Amer-
cans Il ppreciate Good Dancing.
To the Editor of The Tribune


and dancers In Sundays Tribune. II rot very
encouraging to artists nor very eompl-
mentarv to New York. is nevertheless iuli
of pertinent considerations and welcoirs
contribution to criticism In an unIfeqCehteh
field No doubt New York follows Loho'h
I'm matters of art, as London i"Do"s Hu
rome. But I cannot feel that II IL auile ds
dull and insensibIe to beauty ana ART az
Mr.. SmaIIey's article would lead one d.
frst TO suppose II seems TO me there ara
reasons for believing that New YORK audi
ences have sufficiently alert and reaoy
appreciation for such arts "a dancing am
the drama when these are brousat 70 'h~iI
notice. His arragnment. 70 my mInc, Iaiis
more accurately upon the press, whose crll-
cal duty In this respect might ferhaps %
a little more fntelligently fulfilled
For instance. although we have had
good deal OF admirable dancing in New
York theatres in the last year or TWO, M
Smauev's own letter from London is the
first serious word on the subject tnar nae
saen Not long ago I picked up copy OF
one or orr most prominent and exceient
periodicals 10 read paper on MISS Dun
can Miss St Denis and Mile Genee ~
was signed article, and 7 anticipates ths
pleasure of at last finding some rd'ionst
treatment OF this fascinating art B0t II
7 expected anything more than Vapid N
terview. written with all the pitiaoie race
,,o1sness of the usual sensation Tn6nser, I
was sadly disappointed
PERHAPS it should De said IN exte1Catlen
that dancing has been banished from tns
recosnized company OF the fine arts for
many years at least in Anglo-Saxon cities.
and that therefore very little reasonanle
attention has been paid TO II. and almost
al Ia
its possibilities. it's relation to other arts OF
expression or its value in an educational
way. These things are all to seek II il
hardly fair 20 expect literary or dramatic
critic to be able to give understanding
Judgment on a subject which is so difficult
and So unexpIored. Dancers themselves
know almost nothing Of the sources of their
mower or of the laws Of expression govern
ing their arduous but beautiful srt-
cannot see that Miss Duncan. Miss Az
Ian, Miss ST. Denis and Mile. Genee havs
not had all the triumphant success they
could rightfuliy expect III Miss Duncan
failed to I'LL her houses for any prolonged
run, It was not quite because the PUBIC
il dull. The truth IS her dancing, for all
It's classic grace. is nlonotonous. One soon
grows tired OF variations on single note
1t is pleasant to watch grea-. iefsurely
butterfly floating the sensuouS air Win
perfect freedom and poise, but the incon-
sequence of his motion leaves something TO
be attained before We could call him con-
s,Inmate artist. II Miss Duncan could
have added some meaning TO her art, she
need not have sailed away in a disa2point-
ed mood. as she did the other day.
So. too, IT might be pointed out that Miss
ST. Denis fails of the greatest success. not
because Of peoples Indifference. bat be-
cause OF a fatal lack in her own work-a
lack of heart, of spirit. With all her mag
niicent technique, she moves through her
pictures without soul.
It happened TO me to be present at a
UNIQUE matinee on Saturday last In Men
delssohn Hall, where listened to a most
interesting lecture on poetic dancing and
afterward watched some Of the most beau
tiful dancing have ever seen And yet. 80
far as I know, not word in regard 10 the
entertainment has appeared IN any New
York paper. That seems culpable. and
would seem discouraging If did not recall
having seen of the first performances
of "Everyman'' in the same beautiful hall.
when Miss Matheson gave her wonderful
Interpretation of that old play. and when
there were not half a hundred people in
the house
On SATURDAY. l heard a most luminous
analysis of the art OF dancing and the phi
losophy underlying expressive motion
thoughts that would have been OF priceless
value to any actor or art critic. and then
saw several primary dances" as they
were called. evidently intended for use by
teachers. but given with a fine spirit and
intelligence by young women who appeared
on the programme as teachers OF dancing
of physical training. and whose success
with the audience was unmistakable-
My thrilling moment. however-ths keen
delight of discovery which carried me back
to that other wonderful afternoon or
"Everyman'' with the final number
of the programme. when 7 saw appear
Cheslir. but whose name I have not seen IN
public before. She gave a series OF Orien-
tai barefoot dances. somewhat OF the order
OF performances TO which we have been
accustomed of late, but with a brilliant
originality and abandon all her own.
In the first place. her dances were SUI
perior in composition to any that I have
seen hitherto. They meant something and
they were stirring; they told a story: they
revealed and conveyed emotion They were
something more than mere exhibitions of
muscular proficiency and gracefulnsss: they
had purpose and an informing spirit which
placed them legitimately among the works
OF fine art and took hold of the hearts or
her audience. 1t was not the finish OF her
execution that | admired. but her splendid
and expressive responsiveness to every de-
mand OF the theme she was portraying.
Others OF her contemporaries may equal
or perhaps surpass her in technical achieve
ment. OF that / am hardly q Judge. But
I'm fine and sympathetic intelligence. in dra-
matte instinct. in beauty and bewitchment.
in Elasticity and freedom. she is more re-
markable than any other dancer that L
have seen She did not give a mere literal
copy OF Eastern dances-sne gave express
sion TO the spirit OF the Orient. In hss
dark, youthful beauty. with her unsul6~~
smile and her radiant personality. she way
living and eloquent embodiment OF the
young soul OF the Far East
That such lovely performance could De
the product of any modest and unexploltec
system of training seems incredible enoush'
and sufficient guarantee that We have No
need 10 SO TO Europe for our dancers; OUT
that it could take place within a stones
throw of Broadway and vet be entirely IN
noted is more unbelievable still
offer my homage 10 little Mirzah Chsslir