WHY I DANCE JAZZ.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18889, 12 October 1929, Page 20 (Supplement)

WHY I DANCE JAZZ.

(Written for the ‘‘ Star ” by ANNA PAVLOVA, the World’s Greatest Classic Dancer).

Yes, I have danced jazz—l. who hith- t erto have looked down scornfully “9°“ I modern dances. and condemned they: ‘ as being ungraciOus and indeed a die- I grace to the fine art to vhich I hnve 1 devoted the whole of my life. I thought I that I should be able to dance jun « in secret. But low and behold! It 1 might be thought that a fresh inter- 4 inational crisis were threatening. It . ' would appear that everybody who he! . eyes with which to read now know: 1 that Anna Pavlova ha: been leen done 1 ing a. fox-trot. I have received hum i dreds of telegrams, letters and inqulr- 4 ies: Why? Why did I do it? They 'i all ask the sasne question. ‘ Because recently in Vienna I joined 1 in the happy throng of dancers, thnt i does not mean to say that my oonvic- j tions have changed. Not 158 firmly 1 than heretofore I still unconditionally 1 disapprove of the horrible nigger dis- 1 tortions, the twisting and '32:: motions which nowadays are vi 1 on each and every dancing floor. They have degraded the art to which I an: 1 so passionately devoted. to something 1 grotesque. repulsive even: and the '1 white race has lowered itself to lend ‘ support to something which my 4 negroes themselves regard as revolting. ‘ and unfit for the amusement of decent ‘ ‘ people. ; In: is Justified. ‘ Yet jazz is not entirely without charm. Some of its forms ere consid- ' erably more graceful than others; and ' they could be made even more agree- = able, both to the dancer and the onlooker, if they were only elwaye denoed really well, with poise, certainty. agility and smoothness. These modern 3 dances have a “catchy" rhythm; the ‘ jazz music is gradually losing its old t barbaric forms; and, an important I point. the dances are easy to learn. - Nowadays people have little time, : after the day’s work is done. to learn 3 and perfect themselves in the older styles of dancing, with their complieeto ed movements and involved technique. In all of us burns the desire to express a in movement the aesthetic instincts - lumnnmnmmmnnmmmmmumml—lmm

that are common to civilised humanity, and to glide and dance deliciously to the rhythm of music. Thus the 'existence of jazz is justified: it has to take the place of the dances that were learnt in former years, when the world was quieter, and people had more leisure to devote to matters of courtesy and cbivalrousness. Well then, it will be asked, why did I dance jazz, seeing that I do not approve of jazz as a whole? To be candid, I did not " jazz " in the true meaning qf the word. I danced my own dance to jazz music. Being first and foremost a classic dancer, I endeavoured to impart grace to the elemen t&ry motions, to impress my individuality upon the mechanical uniformity of jazz. I wanted to make a thing of beauty of it, as if I were performing before the public of London, Paris, Berlin or Rome. The Cxities Answered. Whenever I adversely criticised the modern dances their advocates replied that if only I would try them for my self I should be carried away by my own enthusiasm for jazz. That is the principal reason why at last I gave it trial, and thereby challenged the critics. Aftqr all, it is hardly fair to pooh-pooh something which one does not know or understand. But once and for all. I must state that this dance appears to me now no better than before. Why did I dance jazz? lam only a woman after all, and as such I am as curious about new things as any other woman, especially where new dances are concerned. There I was as eager as others to know all about this jazz business, and seeing every body else joining in the dance, I felt a sudden impulse to join the happy throng. It was not a beautiful dance, at least, not what I should call beauti ful; but it was a dance, for all that For a brief spell I was dazzled by the flitting, dancing shadows, the changing lights, and the rhythm of music. (Anglo-American N.S.—Copyright.)