The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-05-26
News Of Interest the Forums Family Of Women Readers
Jiu JitSu Greek Art Of Years
Ago, Miss Hinn1dn, International
Folk Dancing Authority Declares

The jiu jitsu practiced by the ia
panese is as old as Greek art. affirms
Miss Mary Wood Human of Chicago,
recognized internationally as a folk
dancing expert, who has been in Fargo
all this week and under whose direc-
ton was given the unique entertain
ment so much enjoyed Friday evening
at the A. c. armory. Il found wonder
full proof of the jiu jitsu existing that
long ago, in the Avery library at Co
lumbia university" states Miss Hin
man. Poses, such as characterize the
folk dancing, are a marvellous express
sion of body control" says this auth
or, but shudders when she speaks Of
the atrocities Of modern ballroom dan
cling. IF dancing is universal. primi-
tive, necessary to our existence, il
must be characterized by something
that lives" Modern ballroom dancing
does not possess this quality, she
holds. Consequently, because of its
perversions, we do not find young chill
dren caring very much for ballroom
dancing. It does not express the nat
ural poetry of the body as does folk
dancing. The clothes worn in the ball
room are pathetically wrong, both as
to styles and as to the idea Of outdoing
each other in dress. This dancing and
its attributes are an appalling mode of
expression" deplored Miss Human,
when touching upon that subject.
To the Romans. who were tremen-
dously keen on the individual, she
traces the degeneration of the dancing
art. The beautiful Inconsistencies Of
the Greeks, and before them. the Egyp-
tians, was lost in Rome, and one must
lose himself to truly represent any
idea by this art with it straight lines,
SO beautiful when their significance is
realized, but they, the Greeks. soon
broke away and began the curve,
which still survives.
Regards Ballet unfavcrably.
Back to a festival in 1885, celebrat-
ing the marriage of the Duke of Milan,
is traced the revival of the Greek
dance, but while the Greeks used the
most marvellous rhythm the world has
known, from the Milan revival there
gradually developed what we know
now as the ballet. The latter is COM
pared most unfavorably by Miss Hin
man with the Greek poses, which lat
ter had two other big attributes, pan
tomime, and perfect physical control.
The latter she defines as not at all the
physical control of which we think in
the ballet. The ballet which did not
provide this beautiful rhythm and PAN
tomime, grew worse and worse, she
cites, preserving everything that was
bad in art, and little that was good.
Miss Human has a most unusual
and attractive personality, which one
instinctively feels is due in part to
her own complete absorption of the
wonderful benefits to be derived from
folk dancing. Regarding instruction in
the latter, she says that there can be
no success unless one makes 1t play,
and her ordinary signal to her classes
is the unusual salutation, "come and
play" "Cramming it down children's
threats makes them hate it." she con-
tinued, "and results in it being thrown
out of the curriculum. Folk dancing
grows very rapidly in popularity in
this country when taught right, but 1t
is very very often taught incorrectly
Miss Human is most enthusiastic over
the spirit with which folk dancing is
received and taught in Norway and
Sweden. She considers that with such
material as she has found here this
past week, the opportunities for the
of folk dancing In this
section are almost unlimited. Akin TO
it, in her enthusiastic opinion, is Prof.
A. G. Arvold's original idea of The
Little Country Theatre as a wonderful |
means of natural expression by dra-
matte art.
Almost as much of a treat as a An |
ished performance, is the role OF on |
locker while Miss Human is training |
her classes. Speaking Of one movement |
in a Russian FOLK dance, She eNClalm-
ed: There is something about a circle |
that to me is perfectly fascinating. |
Isn't it wonderful. the beauty there is
in the most natural movements"
Don't call attention to your feet;
dance with your whole body" is one |
of her urgent admonitions. and indeed,
this fascinating instructor, when dem
onstrating the steps, dances just as
much. with her beautifully poised head
as with her graceful feet.
Just at present Miss Human is ire
interested in working up
an immense pageant to be given in