The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-24
Over 1000 Cheer
Workers Dance
League Recital
BY BEN WOLF

OaIlceFS from the SOVIET Union IN
1928, have the staid walls of the
Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera
House reverberated with such warm
and enthusiastic applause as that
which greeted the Workers Dance
League recital last Friday night.
The performance as a whole was
far from perfect. There were many
flaws. The program was poorly bal
anced, the lighting arrangements
were badly managed, some Of the
artistic conceptions were crude,
some of the individual dancers be-
trayed an obvious lack of technical
training, some of the dances sorely
needed first aid from an expert
enced photographer; yet, notwith-
standing all these, which are, after
all faults of immaturity and can
be overcome with added practice
and experience, there was an all
pervading sincerity and vitality that
completely captured the audience
and furnished ample confederation
of noted dance critics statement
concerning the w, D. L. that, Here
is the nucleus about which the flu
ture American dance will develop"
Furthermore, two of the groups and
the guest soloist gave performances
that clearly ranked among the best
ever seen on any concert stage
within the past season,
Outstanding, from the point of
technical finish and perfection were
the New Dance Group Theatre
Union Dance Group, and Fe ALI.
For political clarity, however, the
award must go to the well-known,
but still popular BLACK and White"
with Add Bates and Irv Lansky
capably fulfilling their roles. AS
the final spotlight revealed the two
figures, representing the Negro and
the White races, in a firm hand
clasp of solidarity, the house spon-
taneously broke forth in a tremen-
dous outburst of approval,
MOST encouraging was the New
iH Dance Group. Showing marked
artistic growth since their appear
ance at the City College recital,
with firmer grasp of technique
and choreography, and a basically
clear theology, they stirred their
audience with Uprising" and Van
der Lubbe's Head" The latter was
done to recitation of Alfred
Hayes poem With the aid of strik-
ing costumes and masks, they real
lied to the fullest the dramatic
potentialities of the poem.
The Theatre Union Dance Group,
with characteristic f1nesse, per-
formed part of their Anti-War
cycle, and a short and stirring
March of the Pioneers" to music
by Prokofieff. Here is, undoubtedly,
one of the foremost dance groups
of the day yet, despite its fine
technique and consistently interest
ing choreography, 1t still lacks.
clear and unnistakable proletarian
orientation.
In winning over the support and
sympathy of Fe ALT, the Workers
Dance League has made decided
and worthwhile conquest. The re-
viewer has witnessed practically
every dance recital of the past sea-
son, yet not once, has he seen as
inspired, natural, and apparently
spontaneous a bit of dancing as
that which Miss ALT gave in her
Summer Witchery." Mass pres
sure, in the form of Braves" and
thunderous applause, forced a re-
petition of the number. In "Slav-
cry" she exhibited to good advantage
the tremendous power and control
of her movements. The dance suf-
fered slightly, however, from too
much repetition. In 'Fille de Joie,"
from the same cycle, The City"
she expressed the forced gaiety of
the prostitute. In the space of a
review like this, one cannot ade-
quately treat of all the elements
of Fe Alf's art, yet there can be
little doubt, that, thought she is,
as yet, not revolutionary dancer,
with time and further experience,
much is to be hoped for,
THE New Duncan Dancers, bear
ing the unpleasant burden of
opening the program, suffering from
slight nervousness and the conse-
quences of badly managed lighting,
did not fare so well in their opening
number, but came back later to give
fine and finished presentation of
I'm Memoriam."
Similarly, the Modern Negro
Dance Group, appearing for the
first time and crippled by the alb
sence of number of its members,
made an unfortunate appearance in
Life and Death but afterwards,
their later number. BLACK Hands,
Black Feet" a simple, rhythmic
study, took six bows.
The Red Dancers presented for
the first time their Scottsboro
Dance. In choice and construction
of theme, they displayed COM
mendable political consciousness.
With further working over, this
dance will undoubtedly be a strong
presentation, for it has within it
the elements of good dance" 1t is
suggested, however, that in future
presentations, a masculine voice be
used for the reading.
In general, the recital forebodes
well for the next big event of the
Workers Dance League = the June
Festival at which fifteen groups will
compete for prizes,