Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-05-08
DANCES OF
THE WORLDS
YOUNG DAYS
MISS RUTH ST. DENIS IN HER
WONDERFUL ORIENTAL AND
EGYPTIAN DANCES AT THE
GRAND TUESDAY NIGHT.

The dancing craze, for it can be
fairly termed that, which swept
across the country last season, has
gone, and in its train many dancers
of many dances. Like all crazes
which seem to possess the pleasure
seekers Of the land, this has had its
aftermath, for it has served good
purpose in bringing to the present
generation just appreciation of the
art of dancing-the expression of
thought by motion. Of course there
are many who had temporary call
for notice who have gone down in
the deluge, but the genuine artists,
the dancers who were sincere and
had definite plan of entertainment,
have survived. But you can number
them on the fingers of one hand.
There is Genee for the school of bal
let dancing, Pavlowa and Mordkin
for the peculiar Slavic gyrations
which are almost acrobatic in their
moods, Ruth st. Denis as a pantom-
inc dancer for want of a better
word), and possibly three or four
others.
This revival of the art of dancing
really began, insofar as we are con-
cerned with the serpentine dance of
a decade ago. Those dances were
the first to excite the interest of the
present generation. OF course, in the
continental opera houses the ballet
has always held its own, but with
the great general public the art had
sunk into the limbo of forgotten
things. The serpentine dance was
succeeded by the fire dance and the
high kicking danes of which Lottie
Collins and her ilk were the great
exponents. But gradually out of the
depths of the art of real dancing was
appearing. Occasionally an artist
appeared who did work for the re-
generation of the art, and for this
conspicuous credit is due mainly to
the women of the stage.
Among the number to whom credit
is due is Ruth st. Denis. At time
when dancing as an art was at its
lowest ebb she conceived and devel-
oped the Hindu dances which have
won fame fir her. She was poor and
unknown and yet with determina-
ton which comes of surety in the
ultimate triumph she clung to the
belief that some day the art Of dane
ing would return to public recogni-
tion once more. Finally Henry B.
Harris saw her dances, and he too
was convinced that Miss st. Denis
had, in these dances an entertain
ment so unique and unusual that the
public would be sure to appreciate
them. He put her under contract
and introduced her to the public at
a series of special matinees at the
Hudson Theater in New York. The
instantaneous success which they
achieved is now matter of theatri-
cal history
But Miss st. Denis was only at the
commencement of her work. She
has no desire TO be known as a one
part artist and Immediately the sue
cess was had she began to develop
her plans for the cycle of Oriental
numbers which she will bring out
Miss St. Denis is more than dancer
she is a pantnminist of rare talent
one who expresses thought without
words. Her Hindu creations ex-
pounded without a spoken word the
theological theories of the Hindus
1t made evident the basis of their
religious belief and the manner in
which it was followed by the believ-
ers The second of the series Of Or
iental numbers, are of ancient Egypt
its people and its religion. The
dances go back to the time when the
world was young and the Sphinx was
still entirely above the sands of the
deserts. In them she seeks to bring
to life again the ways of the priest.
| "a Al.