Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-06
BALLET MAY
FIND A NEW
HOME In u. S.
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.

ter of the Washington Opera COM
pany, says that the most promising
progress in the art of ballet is be-
ing made in this country.
France, Italy. and Russia have
had their turns at being the center
of the dancing stage, Mr.. Tchenni-
koff points ou-. Il was in France
that the ballet was fixed into its
conventional form almost four CEN
turtles ago when Louis XIV was
patron Of the dance. For some
years this king and the more sup
pie members of his court took part
in elaborate ballets presented at
Versailles, and finally this dancing
monarch established a royal acad-
envy of the dance to promote his
favorite art.
Dancers still describe their steps
by the terms fixed upon about this
time. Given a list Of such terms
as elise, assemble, ronde de
jamie, arabesque. reverence, bal
let dancers in different countries
would build practically the same
dance.
Dramas done in pantomime and
dance, performed according to the
French standard of what should
be good and bad form in. ballet,
gained popularity throughout Eu-
rope, and it was not until a few
decades ago that the art was very
much changed.
This time Russia was the inno-
vator. Russian dancers took the
conventional technique of the
French ballet for basis and be-
gan to do radical and beautiful
things. They went out of the Rus
sian schools and astonished their
audiences with a great variety In
what was supposed to be restrict
ed form Of the dance.
The Russian influence has been
so strong that we have almost for
gotten that a billowy tarletan skirt
was once the stock costume of a
ballerina. Almost any kind Of a
dance-Indian, Greek, rental.
Gypsy, pastorale---is material for
the modern ballet dancer.
The traditions of the ballet are
not lost, however. There is a diff
ference. for example, between the
Greek dance of a ballerina. She
bvilds here Interpretation on 4
Foundation of neutrality-suspicious.
of feet and hands which have been
found beautiful. The rhythmic
or nature dancer rncs such foun-
dation hampering to the freedom
of the dance. Her work is less
restrained, but ballet devotees hold
that it is apt to be less artistic,
since the dancers emotions and
ecstasy may not always lead her
to take the most pleasing poses
The Ballet Russianized.
Russia broadened the horizon of
| the ballet. But now 1t almost
seems as if Russia, as a country,
is beginning to peter out in its
dance offerings. due partly to un-
| settled Russian affairs. The well
| know Russian dancers are scat
tered We are told that Mordkin
is conducting a ballet in Moscow
under the protection of the govern
ment there, but very little is heard
of his work. Nijinsky remains an
uncertain quantity. One report
has it that he is dead, while anoth-
err says that he has recovered from
his attack of insanity and is now
conducting a ballet school in Swift
zerland
Other members of the Russian
ballet are in this country dancing
producing and teaching. Still Others
are working abroad in cubistlike
| productions which are attracting
I attention as a novelty. Straight
/ lines are a feature of these ballets
Stiffness of costume is achieved by
such devices as padding the shoul
ders with wood. Heads of woot
built up in cubistlike squares are
sometimes worn. The effect i!
heightened by geometric riots o
color for costumes and settings
Music is of the futuristic type--a
its best reminiscent of Debussy {
trifle off key: at its worst a cap
able imitation of the baby mai
treating the old family piano. II
this futuristic atmosphere thu
dancers create bizarre compost
lions. 1t is the latest phase of thu
Russian ballet. Mr.. Tchernikof
believes that it is a Step to the sid'
rather than an advance.
"America now has chance to b.
the center of the stage, so far a
ballet is concerned" Mr.. Tcherni
koff explains. THAT so many o
the Russians are in this countr.
working in different cities proves
that the American people are in
terested in the art
"Whether America can ad'
something to rde Daiiet, as Russli
did remains to be seen. 1t Is no
easy to evolve anything racial,
characteristic out Of modern Amer
lea because of the melting pot at
mosphere. There are possibilitie
in the Indian dancing, however
and negro forms are an almost un
touched field. The cakewalk ant
shuffling steps and mannerisms o
the negro canoes adapted for bal
let with suitable music and setting
would be very interesting.
"There are American institutions
too, that offer dance material. Few
people would think of newspaper
cartoon as the germ of a ballet, We
Adolph Bolm is doing a ballet will
specially written music. paseo vi
a newspaper comic sheet charactel
called. Krazy Kat
But whether America adds an!
of its personality to the ballet o.
not most of the important baiie
work of the near future will b'
/ done here, Mr.. Tchernikoff be
lieves. Ballet is featured in operas
snectacular stage productions
vaudeville programs and recitals
| BALLET is popular, and yet
strangely enough. people know
very little Of it's history or tech
nio,le. Mr.. Tchernikoff tells OF
series of recitals given by himsel
and several other dancers which
were accompanied by lectures OF
the history of ballet and demon
STATIONS of the exercises and posi-
lions on which ballet dances ar