The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-26
ISADORA DUNCAN
AT THE CENTURY
Repeats Her Metropolitan Per-
Torrance Amid Unique
Surroundings.
GREEK SPIRIT RAMPANT

The interior OF the Century Theatre.
patient of so many changes. was seen
last night in a new form. The orches-
ira seats had been removed to within
a few feet from the back Of the audi
forum. A vast stage stretched from
the rear wall of the theatre over the
space once devoted to seats. Blue dra-
peries OF the cold February sky tint
affected by Miss lsidora Duncan hung
In folds at the back OF the stage and
over the two stage boxes. Screens Of
the same color were at each side Of
the stage. The large orchestra was
placed TO the right of the stage In the
parquet-or what was the parquet-un-
I'll the Grecian spirit settled over the
theatre.
Miss Duncan repeated with her pup,is
the programme seen recently at the
Metropolitan opera House and described
as "Diony sion" Some of the respon-
sib!lity for the proceedings was placed
on the shoulders OF Franz Schubert.
His Unfinished symphony" was played
at the beginning of the evening and
MS music accompanied the dancers
throughout the programme until the
brahms waltzes at the end were
reached. Fra Augustin Duncan. swathed
IN his customary Greek drapcries. peri
odicdllN issued from tie gloom OF the
stage and recited a wide range of
philosophy extending from the Beati-
tudes and the Psalms and nding some
whore this side of Percy Mackaye. with
u bit of Andrew Lang AT the end. Miss
Duncan and her pupils illustrated the
sentiments iutoncd by Fra Augustin
by means OF the dance.
Trey were presumably Illustrating the
text there was frequent beauty in
their dancing. Miss Duncan mined elo-
queutly and the women about her were
living pictures OF irresistible grace and
spontdneity. The freedom and vitality
with which they moved must ave been
an artistic Inspiration 10 painters and
~sculptors who saw them. Then there
was delight in their performances for
all lovers OF the dance. There is still
an unden!able m%onotony in the symbols
OF the new art. Miss Duncan, who has
created II, will some day multiply its
idioms and its means OF manifestation
until 1t will not be necessary for the
dancers 20 repeat again and again the
steps and gestures which now recur too
frequently during a Ions programme,
Miss Duncan's dancing in the episode
called The Chase" was "A fine example
OF her skill at its best to-day. In the
expression OF buoyant and careless ply
steal freedom she struck a gait which
even the youngest Of her dancers found
IL difficult to keep up with. Perhaps
the grouping OF all the dancers at the
close OF the first part OF the programme
was the most satisfying sight Of the
evening.
Miss Duncan need never complain
after last night that she has found 1t
difficult to reveal her accomplishments
-
ranged in accordance with her plans
and the evening was altogether her
own. For the next two weeks the
"Dlonysion'' entertainments will be con-
tinued. Nothing In the stagecraft OF
the performance last night was so un-
usual as the arrangement OF the lights,
which were In the hands Of a master.
Such a skilful manipulation OF the il
Elimination has rarely been witnessed in
n New York theatre.