Evening star., 1936-05-08
Dance Trend
Represented
In Recital
Evelyn Davis Group
Entertains at Roose-
welt High School:
BY ALICE EvERSMAN.

b1 ALIVE EVEnSmAN.
THE modern trend in dancing
was admirably represented
last evening by Evelyn Davis
L and her group Of dancers in a
recital at Roosevelt High School. A
very important part of Miss Davis
program Is the type of music chosen
for the dances, yesterdays program
varying between the classic COM
posers. Purcell, Byrd and Couperin.
and the modernists. Tansman and
Shostakovich. with three works by
John Alden Finckel and one by Mary
Howe, Washington composers.
An outstanding feature Of Miss
Davis art Is the uniformity Of train.
ing given every portion Of the body.
The torso, in particular. is developed
for suppleness and serves as a direct
ing point from which the arms AMI
feet gather expressiveness. She is also
to be commended for her understand
ing of the significance Of the hands
as a power for creating illusions, and
her work in this respect last evening
was of rare beauty. Her gestures are
meaningful and at the same time
lovely. sometimes of the delicate
sensitiveness of . long-ago period
when the cultivation of grace was
part of social education. .
Every Ripple Purposeful.
Miss Davis has so thoroughly mas
tered her art that every ripple of
movement is purposeful. The con-
tinuity Is as well developed as In q
musical phrase and the same pleasure
in following the resolution Is felt.
Although her technique conforms to
the present new direction. she avoids
angularity or, when using it, does so
gracefully so that the eye Is always
charmed, while her choreography also
gives the mind something to think
about. She is an interesting artist,
working steadily along a certain line
with ever recognizable results.
In her solo numbers she showed
the versatility Of her talent. There
was the stately "Pavane," to music by
Byrd, In which the expressive use of
the hands was most noticeable. the
delicate "Whimsy" by Mary Howe
wherein the fantasy was excellently
interpreted and two forceful Con
trasts" to music by the Russian mod
ernist. Shotakovich, calling forth the
complete malleability of the body.
Most Effective Ensemble.
The most effective ensemble danced
by Miss Davis and the group was the
Primitive Suite" by John Alden
Finckel with its four divisions. Dance
of the Possessed" Dance of Incan-
tation," Dance of Liberation" and
Dance of Celebration" The dance
in this number became the instru-
ment of primitive forces, hypnotic and
sinister in their power. In contrast
were the preceding pre-classic dance
forms, the Clique" "Sarabande" and
"Pavane," the first two danced by the
group with pictorial grace.
Other group numbers were "Exag-
gerations" by Mr.. Finckel, which was
programmed also last year; Little
Sister" (Tansman), Dance on Two
Themes" (FinckeD and the solo num-
Der. Circular Study" music by Tans-
man, which disclosed Gonna Bell
Shaw as dancer of true artistry.
Members of Miss Davis group who
appeared yesterday are: Elizabeth
Burtner, Louise Morse. Elizabeth
Wardwell. Mary Happier, Elizabeth
Jenkins, Clara Ruch, Elaine Scanlan.
Julia Barnes, Lois Green Bowan,
Helen Clancy, Rena Cournyn, Bar
bara Crewe, Dorothy Davis, Alice
Cornwell Olney, Dorothy Ross and
Gonna Bell Shaw. Excellent accom-
paniments were provided by Alice
Finckel at the piano.