Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-12-30

WASHINGTON. Dec. 30:-Not
long ago a program Of various types
Of classic Greek art was being
planned in n of our cities, and
local Greek talent raj hunted out
to play the parts. Greeks who
could perform in dramatic and
musical numbers were not hard to
find. But then came the question
of dancing.
There was to be a dance given in
the classic manner by real Greek
maidens, who might be the direct
descendants of the bacchantes and
ceremonial dancers of old Athens,
and the producers set out ingenu-
ously to collect the Greek dancers
of the city. They returned stepped
in gloom. There were no Greek
maidens who could do the ancient
dances. So the Greek dance had to
be left to young Americans with
names reminiscent of ancestors
from England, Wales, France, Dem
mark and Germany.
This incident has attracted atten-
ton to the. fact that the recent n
thusiasm for Greek dancing has
scarcely touched Greece. The classic
manner of dancing has been adopt
ed of late years by dancers of Amer
lea and almost every country OF
europe. But no outstanding expo
nents of the art have come from the
original home of the classic dance.
A Greek was asked why the girls
of his country have not been swept
along in the revival of their cele-
brated art.
sit is not easy to say" he answer
ed. IT believe the young girls in
the schools have felt that the Greek
dancers-they wear-you know they
wear not so much clothing-and the
girls have not wished to res the
old costumes. But that is not, per-
haps, so true now" he added. Il
Greek pupils when she was in my
country, and there are no doubt q
few girls there who are interested
In the classic dance"
This modern Greek man convey
ed the impression, however, that the
modern Greek maiden would still
be a bit shocked to think of herself
in the garb of her ancestors. Visions
of statues wearing a thin layer of
drapery, and that none too securely
arranged. seemed to flash before the
eyes Of the very completely dressed
young Greekaof the drawing room.
Isadora Duncan's latest appear
ances in flowing and disappearing
drapery would seem to support this
young mans idea that inadequate
costumes are a necessary part of
the classic dance. Miss Duncan il
tne of the leaders in the revival of
classic dancing and her example has
far-reaching results among other
n~aturalistic dancers.
But some dancers of the classic
school boldly disagree with Miss
Duncan's point of view. They ex-
plain that while the ancient Greeks
danced In hlmy garments or even in
no garments at all, no n was
shocked by their appearance, The
| minds of the people were adjusted
to a different set OF conventions
! from those obtaining today. Per-
lection Of the human body was as
casually admired then as a beauti-
full face is now.
Costume versus Custom
These dancers say that while the
sense of freedom gained from wear
ing light drapery is desirable in
dancing, some concessions should
be made to custom. Too a~bbreviat-
| ed or diaphanous a costume. even II
| worn Win the HloSL dTtiSllC VI ~
| tentions, gains the interest OF the
| modern audience at the expense oil
| the dance itself. Instead of cos
tune, dancer, setting, music ano
steps blending tremendously, TIL
clothing of the performer becomes
a distraction. To the Greek audi
ence this would not have been so
but the modern dancer cannot ex'
pect to overthrow in an Afternoon
the traditions of his time. So the
conservatives argue, and their poin
Of view is worthy Of notice, since /
rarely gets much attention.
But after all the costume should
not be the most important point il
the presentation of a classic dance
It seems strange that a detail o
that sort could have stood between
modern youths of Greece and a re
turn to the dancing ideal of thei
famous ancestors.
Yet when the Greeks dance toda,
they do the latest ballroom steps. o
occasionally at festivals, peasant
perform national folk dances.
In one of the typical folk dance
the peasants join hands in a lon
chain. Many of the dancers are !
modern clothes. Some of the girl
wear the voluminous peasant dres
with embroidered skirt and spro