The New York herald., 1922-07-02
Loie Fuller and
Dancers Achieve
Success in Paris
Yvette Guilbert and HerAmer-
lean Pupils Share Interest
of Colony.
Special Correspondence to THE NEw Yo1x
HERALD.
New York Herald Buroau.l


with more Americans at
leisure here than at any one time
since 1913, 1t seems only right that
the chief attraction in the theatrical
world should be Loie Fuller and her
danseuses-Fuller appearing just as
young albeit little stouter than she
cid when she captured Partisan the-
atergoers by storm more than twenty
five years ago by her serpentine dance.
AS to her satellites. it seems that
each year brings to Loie Fuller's
group more and more of her own in
tense ingenuity, almost bordering upon
inspiration as to what will best in
terpret her moods to the foreign, and
especially the American, dance lover.
Parisians have learned this during re-
cent years. with the result that every
announcement that Loie Fuller has
returned is sufficient to crowd any
theater.
Imagine the result, therefore. last
week when the horde of American
tourists tried to obtain at any cost
admission to the opening performances
at the Theater des Champs Elysees.
est success was just as great from
che standpoint Of popularity as any.
thing ever accorded the Divine Sarah.
Much interest is being expressed In
Fuller's apparent yielding to the Isadora
Duncan type of movement in some o.
her latest creations, although to friends
she insists that although appearing
ultra-Greek at times. the movements arc
merely logical developments OF her own
earlier dances. As usual, diaphar Gus
tissues of wonderful colors create =
hazy @stheticism in the Fuller program,
so much so that spectators declare the
dance Interpretation itself loses mucn os
their attention. which is intent solely
upon the kaleidoscope color charges
which seem to defy all geometrical
limits.
Miss Fuller's latest surprise for the
Partisan season was 4 fantastic ballet
entitled THE Gigantic Sorcerers." In
which. although she remains discreetly
hidden by her younger dancers, her
genius is easily recognized. The dancers
defile before brilliantly lighted screen.
row marching in stately fashion. now
prancing in gay abandon but with eyevy
variation in their distance from the
rcreen their shadows increase or der
crease. And then. in conformity witrN
the simple theme upon which the shadow
dance is based the dancers huddle
filed with fear, in tbs foreground. and
huge hand shadow descends upon
their own like some terrible vengeance
Pleased at Her Reception.
To watch this dance presents strange
confusion among the spectators-trer
is always a tendency 70 let the at,en-
ton wander from the distorted sc: cen
reflection to the youthful dancers them.
selves. and then the charm is lost Ill
any event. Miss Fuller again proved T.
! her satisfaction her we'll known corol-
larry that anything that has to do with
dancing interests the public" for 70 a
! correspondent of THE NEW YORK HEkALp
she admitted this years program had
| been perfectly wonderfully received.
thanks tofthe fact that American visit
crs are awaking to the value OF real
stage dancing" Incidentally Miss Full
| Ter confided to the correspondent that
she is already a, work on some innova-
! tions with which to appeal to American
theatergoers next fall. unless her ana
mscarry.
This week in Paris was also made
attractive by the presence of Mime.
Yvette Guilbert and her company
of eight American pupils, who are
at work in an effort to revive
interest in medieval French music
to be presented next season in
New York after 1t has been subjected
to the criticism OF French musicians
and-may it mean a new alliance OF
the church and stage?-French priests
who have made life study of mediae-
val church music.
| Although the theater going public has
not yet been allowed to "listen-in" on
Nine. Guilberts latest work there were
many devout theater followers present
Wednesday afternoon at private re-
hearsal in the salon of the Countess de
Behague in the Rue st. Dominique The
audience included numerous Partisan
priests, with no less parsonage than
Mgr Jouin of the Church of st. Angus
tine presiding and lending frequent sus-
gestions as to how the new portrayal
of ancient music might be improved.
II is too early to say much about the
program Nine Guilbert will take to
New York, but it will certainly include
two features presented this week. One
will be Cathedral Images" in which
Nine. Guilbert's fullest resources OF
vocal as we'll as dramatic expression
are called into play, with the beautifui
costumes designed in accordance with
ancient church traditions playing Sec
ondary but important role.
Old ChurCn Cantlcles Sun8.
In this number the old church can
ticles were sung. or rather sung and
danced to a medley that Is neither
old nor new; in a second number peas
ant songs the "chants pooulaires" from
which much church music later de-
veloped are sung and danced by the
entire company In peasant garbs OF
middle age periods Nine. Guilbert ad-
n1its that she may have difficulty In
weaving American audiences away from
the jazzy fox trotting and high 5umpin
of the present day, but she Is convinced
that the time will come when Americans
will see the utter folly OF not studying
epochs "in which the inspiration Tor
both song and dance was purer tnan
In our own twentieth century"
AS a special feature for American
audiences Nine Guilbert is said to be
preparing a cycle of song dances cover
ing the various epochs Of American his
tory. but always with the religious ele-
ment stressed as the antdote to present
day wildness in theatrical art. 1t re-
mains to be seen whether popular Amer
lea will rush to Guilbert's praise--for
even in Paris there is still a strong
penchant for anything that savors OF
noise and COLOR be Il in the realm OF
dancing or song. and II is doubted here
: whether beyond a few scholastic experts.
religiously inclined devotees and the
usual percentage OF cranks always will
ing TO take up new idea, Guiloerts
idea will make more than faint impress
sion on the theater public.