The Washington herald., 1913-11-25
BELAsco.
Anna PavIowa and the Russian
, Dancers.


= Dancers.
Not since the first invasion of America
oy the Russian dancers has there been
given washington SO exquisite an ex-
lmple of the versatility Of their art as the
Belasco audience witnessed last even
ing when Anna Pavlowa, assisted by
Mile. Gashewska, Nile. Plaskowiesczks,
and NJ Berge and company, presented a
program in which the Russian premiere
] uanseuse appeared to such flawless ad-
vantage.
Prior to her engagement in New York,
Mile. PavIowa so captivated the imagina-
donl of the British metropolis that the
London critics were spendthrift Of super
htives in their descriptions and praise
nf her incomparable art, an experience 10
which the exquisite dancer was again
treated during her recent engagement in
New York, so that it was no new thing
last evening that she should enthrall a
crowded theater with the witchery of
her grace, the triumphant vitality OF her
youth, and the magnitude of her inter-
pretative and creative genius.
Her triumph was supreme. Whether
. Bhe appeared as a seductive Oriental. a
French dame OF fashion, or a reeling
Bacchante, full Of the joy of life at its
bpring time, or pirouetting merrily, she
was equally captivating, equally the en-
bodfment Of ethereal grace. She has
hever given herself in such complete
abandonment to her Bacchanale as now,
most likely due to the fact that there is
This season no Mordkin to stife her
spirits, for the faVorite of the Gar has
new leading man in Novikoff, who has
the good taste to make no effort toward
dominating the performance, as was
efttmes the tendency of the too tempera-
mental Modkin. Novikot is an agile and
picturesque assistant to the brilliant star
bf the Russian company, while Berge
another assistant, whose name appears in
smaller type in the program, runs him a
eiose second for honors, particularly in
the 'Gavotte Pavolowa," in which ''the
Glcw-worm" was last night so delight
fully idealized as to have forced Pavlowa
and her partner in the dance to repeat
The number for an enthusiastic audience.
Pavlewa has hitched her wagon to a
Performance which is divided into three
parts. Her costuming, by Bakst, Walter,
Alias, and the Russian painter Boris
Anisfeldt, her accompanying music, her
balets, her company, her lights, and the
settings with which her managing direc-
tors MAX Rabfnoff and Daniel Mayer
have provided her are the acme of perfec-
hon-a perfect background for an incom-
parable artistic.
premiere danseuse was furnished In the
opening program OF the Russians by
Mile. Plaskowieczka, Butsova, and crom-
bovo, in Schubert's Moment Musicale"
a Grecian idyll, so exquisitely interpreted.
that a repetition was necessary in order
to satisfy the audience.
But, always, IN reviewing the won
derfully comprehensive program, ones
mind reverts to Pavlowa, with her
magic feet, shod with gold: her ethe-
real draperies, huttering about her;
Pavlowa, the exquisite, who flashes!
like a radiant dream across ones mem
Dry; Pavlowa in a delirium of sway
ing, swinging. poetic motion, now
alone, now colored by thebarbaricI
splendor of Novikoff, or again by an
Oriental setting, and the sinuous grace
of the most remarkable supporting
company which has ever come to as
sist an artistic from the land of the
Gar.
And even when all this has been
said, one yet feels impelled to mention
the thoroughly sympathetic work of
the symphony orchestra, under the able
direction of Theodore Steirs
And still the half has not been told,
because the joy reflected by the whole
performance beggars description.
JULIA CHANDLER MANI.