PAVLOVA ON THE BARBARY COAST

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 63, 11 September 1937, Page 27

PAVLOVA ON THE BARBARY COAST

I met Pavlova in San Francisco when ihe was there with Mordkin, writes Arnold Genthe in "As I Remember." It was some time after the fire, when what we called the "Barbary Coast" had been rebuilt and was getting back ihto. swing. She wanted to see the new dance she heard so much about— the Grizzly Bear. I arranged a party for her and ■Mordkin, inviting some of my newspaper friends.

- As a preliminary I consulted the Chief of Police, since a risk was involved in taking Pavlova to the Barbary Coast. There was the danger that the crowd might get out of hand. Or there might be a raid. The chief assured me that there would be no raid, but ■he sent a detective along in case, of emergency. ** ' Into the harbour of San Francisco came freighters and sailing ships from 'he. South Seas and the Orient. Their •xews were a dangerous lot, composed >f the dregs of many countries, whose .rendezvous, when in port, were the iance halls of the notorious Barbary ""oast. The most famous, as well as ie most infamous, of these was the lympia, a vast "palace" of gilt and *isel, with a great circular space in

c centre and around it a raised plat-

hn with booths,; for tin spectators. i took our places in one of these. low us on the floor, to the barbarous •Jnd of tom-tom, cymbal, horn, and ijo, a medley of degenerate humanwhirled around in weird dance ps. Pickpockets, dope fiends, sailors, igshoremen, negroes, .Mexicans, aired in bright sweaters, checkered lits. and waistcoats danced with reet-walkers who had come in their wdry finery from the crib-houses of jmmercial Street.

The exotic music and the strange, wild steps of the dancers fascinated Pavlova. After discussing -it with Mordkin for a while, she asked us if it would be all right for them to go out on the floor and dance. We thought it safe enough, and she and Mordkin stepped down to the floor. It was difficult to explain to Mordkin that he had to pay the customary 10 per cent, fee to the floor manager for the privilege of dancing with his chosen partner* r -

Pavlova had on a simple black frock and toque and Mordkin a dark street suit. Nobody knew who they were, and nobody noticed them as thejr began to feel out the barbaric rhythm with hesitant feet. Gradually they were carried away by it, and oblivious to their sordid surroundings, they evolved, then and there, a dance of alluring beauty.

Gradually, ■ one couple after another stepped aside to watch, forming an astonished circle at the edge of the floor. When Pavlova and Mordkin had finished, there was a moment of silence, followed by wild bursts of applause. The men stamped and threw their caps into the air and the women clapped, calling out, "More! More!' They made no attempt to crowd in around Pavlova dr to speak to her, and when she passed through the circle to get to the booth, a respectful lane was made for her. ■"

Pavlova was touched to tears by this incident, and she said, years afterwards, that the tribute of the sorry rabble that night meant more to her than decorations she had received from the crowned' heads of Europe.