MODERN DANCING
AND DANCERS

BY
J. E. CRAWFORD FLITCH, M.A.
AUTHOR OF “MEDITERRANEAN MOODS”

WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR AND MANY
IN BLACK AND WHITE
LONDON
GRANT RICHARDS LTD.
PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY
MDCCCCXII

PRINTED BY THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LTD.
BEAVERHALL ROAD, EDINBURGH

CONTENTS

PAGE
[INTRODUCTION][9]
CHAPTER
[I][THE ANCIENT AND MODERN ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE DANCE][15]
[II][THE RISE OF THE BALLET][27]
[III][THE HEYDAY OF THE BALLET][39]
[IV][THE DECLINE OF THE BALLET][57]
[V][THE SKIRT DANCE][71]
[VI][THE SERPENTINE DANCE][81]
[VII][THE HIGH KICKERS][91]
[VIII][THE REVIVAL OF CLASSICAL DANCING][103]
[IX][THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN BALLET][123]
[X][THE REPERTORY OF THE RUSSIAN BALLET][137]
[XI][THE RUSSIAN DANCERS][153]
[XII][THE ENGLISH BALLET][173]
[XIII][ORIENTAL AND SPANISH DANCING][189]
[XIV][THE REVIVAL OF THE MORRIS DANCE][203]
[XV][THE FUTURE OF THE DANCE][215]
[INDEX][225]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

IN COLOUR
[CARMENCITA, after a painting by John Sargent ][Frontispiece]
[DANSEUSES EN SCÈNE, from a painting by Degas][To face page 66]
[ISADORA DUNCAN][“ “ 106]
[MAUD ALLAN, from a photograph][“ “ 112]
[DANSE ORIENTALE, after a design by Léon Bakst][“ “ 132]
[ANNA PAVLOVA, from a painting by John Lavery][“ “ 160]
[ADELINE GENÉE, from a photograph][“ “ 178]
[RUTH ST DENIS, in a Nautch Dance][“ “ 192]
IN BLACK AND WHITE
[MARIE TAGLIONI, as La Sylphide][“ “ 42]
[CARLOTTA GRISI, in The Peri][“ “ 50]
[FANNY CERITO, in Ondine][“ “ 52]
[KATE VAUGHAN][“ “ 72]
[KATE VAUGHAN, in Turkish costume][“ “ 74]
[ALICE LETHBRIDGE][“ “ 76]
[LETTY LIND, in a Skirt Dance][“ “ 78]
[LETTY LIND][“ “ 84]
[CONNIE GILCHRIST (The Gold Girl), from a painting by Whistler][“ “ 92]
[REGINA BADET, première danseuse of the Paris Opera][“ “ 98]
[ISADORA DUNCAN][“ “ 108]
[MAUD ALLAN, in The Vision of Salomé][“ “ 114]
[MAUD ALLAN, in Chopin’s Funeral March][“ “ 118]
[THE RUSSIAN BALLET, an undress rehearsal][“ “ 126]
[TROUHANOWA, in an Oriental ballet][“ “ 130]
[WASLAW NIJINSKY, in Le Pavillon d’Armide][“ “ 138]
[LEONTIEV and LEPOUKHAVA, in Le Carnaval][“ “ 140]
[KARSAVINA and NIJINSKY, in Le Spectre de la Rose][“ “ 142]
[LES SYLPHIDES][“ “ 144]
[SERAPHIMA ASTAFIEVA, as Cleopatra][“ “ 146]
[WASLAW NIJINSKY, in Scheherazade][“ “ 154]
[TAMAR KARSAVINA, in Scheherazade][“ “ 156]
[ANNA PAVLOVA][“ “ 158]
[PAVLOVA and MORDKIN][“ “ 162]
[PAVLOVA and MORDKIN, in Russian costume][“ “ 164]
[MADEMOISELLE SCHMOLZ][“ “ 166]
[MIKAIL MORDKIN, in The Arrow Dance][“ “ 168]
[LYDIA KYASHT][“ “ 170]
[LYDIA KYASHT, in Sylvia][“ “ 174]
[ALEXANDRA BALASHOVA][“ “ 176]
[ADELINE GENÉE][“ “ 180]
[ADELINE GENÉE, in A Dream of Butterflies and Roses][“ “ 182]
[PHYLLIS BEDELLS, in Sylvia][“ “ 184]
[BEATRICE COLLIER and FRED FARREN, in La Danse des Apaches][“ “ 186]
[RUTH ST DENIS][“ “ 190]
[LEONORA, as a Spanish dancer][“ “ 194]
[LA OTERO][“ “ 196]
[LA GUERRERO][“ “ 198]
[MORRIS DANCE: BEAN-SETTING][“ “ 206]
[MIKAIL MORDKIN, in The Cymbal Dance][“ “ 216]