The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-27
WORLD Of THE
DANCE
Workers Dance League in
Group Recital
Reviewed by
Reviewed by
ELIZABETH SKRIP

ELIZABETH SKRIP
THE Workers Dance League, as a
cultural organization in the rev.
dictionary arts, has been oustand-
ing in its ability to appeal not only
to thousands Of workers and intel
lectuals, but actually to invoke con-
tinued encouragement and praise
from bourgeois as well as prole-
tartan critics. This organization,
however, exposes itself to attack
from all quarters il, either through
lack Of artistic forces, or lack of self
imposed discipline, it permits a re-
cital Of the calibre of the first ap-
pearance Of revolutionary dance
groups this season on December
23rd at Town Hall. The recital was
not only ill-advised artistically, but
unfortunate from the technical end
as well.
The affair was premature, at least
two Of the new dances should have
had few weeks more rehearsing,
some of the others should never
have been presented on the concert
stage at all. The groups we're not
at their technical best although
certain dances were outstanding.
The Anti-War Cycle, by the Theatre
Union Dance Group is revolution
airy dance with consistent dramatic
rpwer and theological scope. 1t
projects first picture Of depression
and starvation, then the betrayal
of the starved masses into war by
the Vaccinations of the viciously
satiric diplomats, and finally the
upsurge and defiance of the be-
trayed. Pioneer Marches, by the
same group, were vivaciouS, spirited
dances, no more and perhaps lit
tie less than the title implies.
The new dance by the Theatre
Union Dance Group, Forces in OPP
position, was an interesting, but
loosely constructed number. Based
abstractly on poem by ESsenin,
of the savage horse on the Russian
steppes who attempts to race with
strange opponent, the locomotive,
and loses, it seeks to show the old,
diSsolute order giving way to the
new organized society. Were the
title more explicitly revolutionary
and the choreography and costum-
ing altered to symbolic the revo-
lutionary situation, there would be
no need for the poem as program
note.
VAN DER LUBBE'S Head, on the
7 other hand, by the New Dance
Group, dealing with the farce Of
the Reichstag trial and fascist tar--
ror, makes frank use Of a poem
accompaniment and suffers from no
confusion therefore. 1t still remains
the most gripping and finished
dance of this group. Charity, their
second offering, while particularly
appropriate at this time of the year,
still needs to find more interesting
, dance construction to put over its
idea. Much more malice should out
line the picture of the capitalist,
much more more wit should vary
the pseudo-religious choruses of the
group, much more satiric dancing
and less humorous pantomime
would make the dance even more
of favorite with it's public than it
has been in the last few years.
We Remember, their new dance,
was unfinished and irregular in per-
Torrance. The suite has three parts
the first showing comrades mourn
ing at the bier of a dead fellow
worker, the second a flashback to
the scene of action-the strike at
which the worker was killed, the
third, again at the bier where
respect to the dead is paid not in
mourning but in a turning away
with new-gained resolution to con-
tinue the struggle in the name of
| all those killed in class wars 1t
/ is unfortunate that the New Dance
Group was unable to present at
this time a dance worthy of so
! stirring theme. The first part fell
+! just short of sentimentality; the
I strike section was confusing and
forrnless; the last section. too. needs
richer and clearer continuity.
| When We come to a discussion of
, the Nature Friends and the Red
Dancers. another problem presents
itself. These groups have neither
technical finish nor thematic rich
ness to characterize them, and when
added to that they receive un-
musical accompaniment and are
subjected to poor staging, the result
is disastrous. Red Workers March
ing was uninspired, the music was
unimaginatively used, and the ut
terly unnecessary song interlude of
"Rote Front" by the dancers did not
help the performers any.
KINDER, Kirche and Kuche, de-
IA plotting the limited role of women
under the Nazi regime, with the
young pioneer entering at the end
of the dance as a promise of lib
Grafton, could be condensed to about
one-half its original length and the,
idea still be projected effectively
and clearly. AS it stands now, it
seems repetitious and long winded.
The same can be said for Black
and White, duet dealing with the
uniting Of Negro and white worker
when they realize they are equally
exploited and betrayed.
Sell Out lost almost all its points
by the omission Of the complete
song the dance illustrates, since the
image of worker cavorting gaily
with three silk top-hatted gentle
men seemed strangely paradoxical
until one realized that he was the
Labor Faker.