Evening star., 1933-10-29

Between Shan-Kar and the Occi-
dentals there is no relation whatsoever,
Tor while the two latter are attempting
to adapt the dance to our modern life,
Shan-Kar is revitalizfhg an ancient art
which, in his country, extends back into
the centuries and has certain fixed laws
governing the subjects to be treated and
the technic to be used Shan-Kar has
found such immense beauty in this
native art that Western audiences have
been breathlesS with attention while he
unfolded, dance by dance. the ex-
quisite revelations that have survived
the trend of modernity.
II would be impossible for another to
do what Shan-Kar has done. for one
must have the feel for it inbedded in
the life stream by ancestors who have
worshipped in the quiet temples and
nodded their lives after the laws of
Buddha. The mysticism of India, her
unquenchable fire that burns steadily
and deeply, and her symbolism, cannot
be interpreted convincingly by an Occi-
dental. In India dancing is not a
pastime, it is a ritual and an important
part Of sacred ceremonies.
Shan-Kar gave % recitals last season
In New York, breaking all records
thereby, and, although the greater part
OF his audiences had not more than a
faint inkling Of the Importance or
traditional meaning of each exquisitely
executed gesture: they nevertheless
knew that something of rare quality
was here and succumbed to Its potent
influence. Perhaps no better picture
could be given of Shan-Kar's art than
the description of one reviewer. Age
and repose characterized the dance"
Now appears two newcomers, virile,
alive and intensely modern: the ulti-
mate expression of the active life Of our
times. The graceful movements that
once were thought only appropriate to
express delicate or fairy-like subjects
or merely be an exhibition of grace
they have irnbued with force of express
sion and power of delineation that
would have been angrily rejected some
years back as unworthy to bear the
name of art. The subjects chosen would
also have rejected as equally incapable
OF inspiring artistic impulses, yet the
world is gradually being forced to
astonished acknowledgement that that
which Kurt Jooss presents is art of the
most superior order.
This new dancer has also succeeded
In startling the devotees of the dance
by his genius in fusing the essential
elements of the old ballet with modern
dance movements. In doing this he
has conserved a simplicity that is the
high light of his performances and the
quintessence Of art and refined taste
Mr.. Jooss Is a Dutchman who studied
music and acting before deciding that
the dance was the medium through
which he wished to express himself. He
took up the study Of the ballet with
Rudolph Won Laban in Germany. but
soon began to follow the dictates of his
own originality.
In 1926 he attracted substantial at
tention by the work he did in collabo-
ration with Prof. Edward Dent of Eng
land in reviving an interest in Purcell
and his works in which his artistic
choreography was much appreciated.
Through various other creations of his
fantasy, he progressed still further in
public esteem and in 1929 in Essen,
Germany, he opened school of his
own under the name OF Volkwang-
buehne. Here he worked out his ideas,