DANCE CULTURE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18371, 2 May 1925, Page 2

DANCE CULTURE.

♦ HOW THE ANCIENT GREEKS MAINTAINED THEIR BEAUTY.. ' The ancient Greeks' have ever been admired and idolised . for their superior culture in both! body and mind, and to-day our physique, as : well as our classics, aro judged largely on the standards act by those worthy masters. • " • .The old proverb—"A pure soul can only be contained in a perfect. body," is as. true, toAlay as it;"was hundreds of years ago. Dancing was then roiißidfirflrl one of. the essentials in building up a sound anatomical knowledge, on a rhythmic and musical understanding, which naturally gave a. very clear ideal of the beauty of line and, expression ultimately to be attained. Through the ages, many., of. the most graceful' movements in dancing have either been neglected or forgotten, and it is only of comparatively recent years that serious attempts have been made to revive them. Such enthusiasm was, no doubt,' .directly responsible for the formation of "The Association of Teachers of. the Revived Greek Dance," which- is doing so much towards emulating tbo ancient roasters and impregnating all dancing with its beautiful influence. ' Through tho -courtesy of Miss I. Hulvany Gray, a member of this Association, and the principal of the Peters-Gray School of Dancing, at 9S Victoria, street, a representative of "The Press" was able to gain mueli first-hand knowledge of this system of teaching.. Miss Mulvany Gray, who is a true exponent of the art, received her training at the Ginnfer-Mawer School, one of the niosi distinguished ..dancing schools in London, where the founders, Miss Ruby Ginner and Miss Irene Ha'wer, are' working.'to promote the right understanding of Dance, Drama, Poetry, and Uittie as educational forces, and as expressions of individual and national life. _ During the course of the interview, Miss Mulvany Gray was'most modest .in hef just claims To attainment, but the skTil In which she conducted her classes, then beiijg held, and the ease and grace of her own carriage, readily inspired one with confidence in her ability. "Wo have • a special feature in tho Children's Section," said iTiss Mulvany Gray, "in which the children are helped to develop personality, originality, and a love of the beautiful through tho medium of Dance, Poetry, Drama, and Elocution." "Do you teach Ballet dancing?" asked. "Tha Press" man. "Oh, yes," was tho reply, "we teach all branches of the art of tho dance, and we aro now forming stago and cabaret ■ classes for those interested." . G