New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-05

pany.
The vogue Of the public dancer, which
has been so vigorously revived within
the last few years, has of course pro-
inoted tho making Of books on the SUD-
1ect. 1t is surprising that a new edi-
ton of NJ. CASTOR Vuiller's exhaustive
ard richly illustrated volume has not
been Forthcoming, but even that inter-
estiug work would require fairly Vo-
luminous supplement to be brought up
20 date. The dancing of the moment
demands its historian. MrI Arthur
Applin touched one corner Of the field
IN his Stories of the Russian Ballet.
which we recently reviewed. Mr.. tlltch
gives himself wider scope in the pres
ent attractive volume. 1t is attractive,
we may add, not only in its text, but
In its numerous illustrations. These
include reproductions from eminent
painters-Mr. Sargents "Carmencita'
figuring as frontispiece-andt then there
are quantities Of good plates from old
prints of dancers like Taglioni, and
photographs of those many women ana
men who are to-day fascinating multi
tudes all over the world.
The author of this book is not mere
~ a lover Of the art Of dancing. He
! gives ample evidence Of his familiarity
with its technique and history, and
with the influence upon its fortunes OF
civilization at its different stages OF
progress His brief predatory survey
Of the origins, development, triumphs
and vicissitudes Of the dance through
the ages, from its sacerdotal employ
ment in antiquity to the present day OF
its reborn recognition. closes with the
following interesting suggestion:
In the present revival and development
OF the dance there IS somethlng at once
significant and hopeful. 1t is not, per-
haps, too conjectural to discern in II the
hint of a reaction against one or the
least agreeable tendencies In much OF
present-day art. 1t would seem that
the arts are tending to become more and
mlTe enmeshed in contemporary AFFAIRS
Tfgy are exchanging the artistic con-
science for social conscience.
Art has taken for its task the solution
Of the query Whats wrong with the
world?" 1t is furiously justifying its
existence by hurrying to the rescue OF
the politician and the social reformer:
Into this veXed and anxious company OF
the arts the Dance strays little tim
idly, bringing with 1t the serenity ana
grace of less troubled age. 1t cannot
produce the passport of discomfort, with
out which ii seems doubtful whether it
IS entitled TO be admitted. 1t seeks not
to reform us, but only TO please. 1t re-
calls us 10 the joys of life which the
nth erfu ha1 al net cd ~ IN
forget 1t has but Il single puTpose-to
quicken our pulses with beauty, and 10
renew our life with its own untiring
ecstasy.
Mr.. FIitch's survey Of the rise of the
ballet in Italy. and of its development
In France in the seventeenth century,
need not detain US here. 1t reached it's
apogee in the first half Of the last cen
fury with Taglioni, Fanny Ellsler,
Grisi and Fanny Cerito. Then began a
decline, caused by the cult Of the opera
ginger. 1t was accompanied by increas-
ing emphasis on mere tours de force
on purely technical virtuosity al the
expense of grace and spontaneity. Paris
invented the cancan, London the skirt
dance, because, says the author, its
music hall ballets had degenerated into
mere marches OF Amazons and the like.
There were La Goulue and Grille
dEgout, and, far more pleasing and
graceful, Kate Vaughan, Lefty Lind
and Connie Gilchrist. The fashion
passed, owing to the inferiority Of the
successors of these delightful English
women, whose grace had been based on
q Thorough training in the steps and
exercises Of the cid Italian ballet school.
Then came Loie Fuller, with her
serpentine dances-"la Loie" Of the
Parisians-and after her Isadora Dun
can, to whose genius Mr.. Fitch pays
glowing tribute. Indeed, he empha-
sizes the influence which this rarely
gifted American woman has had on
the tendencies of the revival of dane
ing. for it Is to her, perhaps the great
est personality who has ever devoted
herself 10 developing the art of the
dance" that he ascribes a decided in
iuence on the art Of Pavlova. The
great OdiiSSib WIN 'iSA
mastery of technique in the Russian
sshool discovered that she needed a
wider scope for the full expression Of
her individuality. She found 1t in
those gestures and poses, more nat
urally human than those of the conven-
tional ballet, which Isadora Duncan
had brought to life again from the
world Of Greek art" 1t is worth while
10 be reminded, In this connection, that
the Russian dancers who during the
last few years have taken the world
by storm are secessionists from the
Journalism that held the Russian school
in its thrall
London and Paris-some OF which have
never been produced I'm Russia-are the
production of a group OF daring and sub
yersiye artists The essential diff
ference is to be found. not In technique,
but In idea. The ballet has been brought
Into relation with life. IL was sup
posed to DO structurally incapable Of sup
porting anything more weighty than
merely gossamer fancies. eternal varia-
lions upon the themes Of coquetry-invi-
tation and refusal. pursuit and evasion.
The work of the revolutionaries
was to open the sluice-gates and let in the
fertilizing flood OF vital emotion. What
Is revolutionary in the new ballet Is the
power TO rouse and trouble the magma
range OF the ballet, range rs wide as
that Of tho drarna--OnA is femntpd saw