The mirror., 1921-11-17

rTenCn NcVOlutlOIl uIOVc many OF QeT
greatest ballet masters out of the country
and they fled to England, Spain, Italy and
Russia. The latter country proved the
most receptive to the idea of the modern
ballet, although England and even Ger
many were liberal supporters of this form
of entertainment.
These countries, however, furnished very
little native talent, while Russians seemed
to take naturally to dancing. There, in
the great schools of Moscow and Petro-
grad, have been trained some of the
greatest dancers in the world. And as the
French Revolution caused her great
dancers to emigrate to other countries, SO
the Russian Revolution has scattered her
wonderful corps of ballet masters among
other countries and many have come to the
United States and South America. In
these men lies our hope of building up
the dance of America to a character be-
fitting the greatest nation of modern times.
"The American youths of both sexes are
physically and temperamentally fitted to
become marvellous Dances" said Theodore
Koslof, one of the greatest of Russian
dancers 81 have had schools in my ma
tive country, in France, England, Italy
and Germany, and nowhere have i found
the talent you have in this country. Only
in England have l found the younger
generation to rival yours physically. In
temperament your young people, through
the mixture of races from which they have
evolved combine the fire of the southern
races with the poise of the North. From
all races they have borrowed little, and
it is easy for them to enter into the spirit
of whatever dance they are called upon to
interpret"
Kosloff maintains two schools in the
United States. He has founded them
upon the principles of the Russian schools
from which he graduated.
Kosloff has. led an eventful life. In
search of material for new interpretative
dances he has visited every country except
Australia. He had some exciting adven-
lures while studying the native tribal
dances in Africa. He still bears the scars
from injuries suffered in leap from
two-story building in Arabia. A friend
had smuggled him to the roof to witness
an Arabian wedding dance, which is for
hidden to foreigners. Kosloff narrowly
escaped with his life when he was dis
covered.
Kosloff is rather small and of seemingly
slight build. One seeing him in Ms street
clothes would never suspect the wonderful
muscular development and marvellous
agility of this Russian athlete. Those who
are prone to sneer at dancing as being
effeminate would speedily change their
minds if they came to grips with this
bundle of muscular energy who is equally
at home in the ring or upon the wrestling
mat.
Kosloff is not only dancer and an
athlete but he is an artist of more than
ordinary ability. Some of his paintings
have been exhibited at the Royal Academy
at Lon don. His talent for sketching and
drawing would have brought him fame
in that field if he had chosen it instead of
dancing. He is also gifted musician.
Speaking, as he does, dozen languages
and with thorough knowledge of the
sciences, Kosloff is indeed man ofNcul-
ture.
The graduate of one of the Russian
dancing schools is much further advanced
than our high school. graduates and has
the additional advantage that he or she is
ready to step out in the world and COM
mand large salary. Koslof, upon grad
uation, danced for five years in the great
n IL IL