New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
Nv FREDREX sCHANG.

Fancy Mrs. Vernon Castle refusing
600 n week dancing engagement
% sketch watercolors for nearly moth
ING. lust because the yearnings Of her
soul demanded that she be q painter!
Fancv Charlie Chaplin discarding his
rriceless mustachio and cane to be-
come a pianist merely because his
Whole being urged him toward mu-
steal careeri
Such fancies require an elasticity OF
imagination quite impossible IN ume
and p1ace where every man believes
himself working for the minimum wage
And that shopworn phrase art Tor
arts sake" would become as meaning
less as 10 Is now bromide were 1t not
for rare and infrequent occasions when
some carefroe person by shining eX-
ample restores II 20 the full lustre or
its import
Such an occasion we have now IN
the case Of dainty and refreshing Nile.
lydia Lopokova, onctime imperial Rus
sian danseusc, with career OF Weait D
and distinction assured. and now vol
untcer member of the Washington
Square PLAYERS. with nothing 10 re-
ward her efforts except her own salts
fed soul and the enthusiastic applause
OF the audiences who arc nightly fasci-
mated by her charm in the role Of Julie
Ronheur Boz Percy Mackaye's pleasant
fantasy "The Antick'
Miss LOpokova, who was such good
dancer that the Gar was disappointed
when she left PetIograd 20 tour Eu-
rope. where she was acclaimed as a
second pavlowa. has coolly and hap
PLY ignored 5000 a week dancing Of
fcrs because she aspires 20 be an
actress!
dancing is so what shall ! say
limited She explained with an accent
quite as delightful as herself and alb
folutely Impossible OF reproduction In
print "lt is art. yes; but IL Is not
emotional enough You dance night
after night; it is like the acrobats in
vaudeville"
10 was politely suggested that per
haps 10 also became unintercsting 20
repeat the same lines night after night,
a. in drama
The little lsdy's eyes spanked as she
vanquishcd this suggestion. NO. no,
no she said eNcltedly - never get
tired OF speaking my lines They are
words; they are thoughts. they are
.'i'e. / am being when ! speak them
J am human. To dance. however beau
hial i 90 be machine. But In a play
each night ! can Try 20 interpret my
nafi nearer 60 the meaning Of the au.
nor Zach night is new problem
10 is 40 much more interesting TO be
an actress than danceri"
A moments silence and then Mis-,
LopokoVa said in her most demur,
manner: Then. too. when you are ole
sou cannot dance; but you can act"
This naive biz Of wisdom was reas
surfing. Miss Lopokova was a real per
son after ALL From that moment IN,
interviewer forgaye her for desertin.
the billboards Tor art.
Ever since She was a little girl (snC
she's still a little girl in size) Miss
Lopokova was set or being an actress
Something's when they needed child
characters in plays produced az the
great threatro for Russian drama, in
PetTograd. they would select member
Of the Imperial Dancing School. where
tiny Lydia was q star pupil. Then she
was happy, particularly on one occa
sion. whom she was cast as Puck.
10 was as "a dancer. however, that she
became famous. and after touring
Europe and America. about two years
ago, she feit chat her means would now
permit the cultivation Of her life ambi- I
ton. Last year she was starred in
"Just Herself" o. play written for her I
which failed, She ilied IN her time F.
by impcr onatng the Spirit Of Pleas
urc' n "Fads and FGncies," and early |
TINS fall offered her services to the