Dancing Towards Nudism

By HELEN BAILEY

The days of the old ballet were characterized by gaudy, voluminous costumes, whose constricting foils hampered the freedom of motion, and resulted in unclear and broken movement.

The mind and eye of the period, nurtured on just such fare, accepted it without question. It was traditional. It had existed long before, and they did not question that it would continue to exist for a long time to come.

In 1904, Isadora Duncan startled the world with her innovations in the Dance. She opened a school, and there taught her doctrines of absolute freedom of mind and body. The dance audience of her time reacted in no uncertain manner. She was greeted with an extreme rebuff.

However, after some training, the children of her school performed. As the curtain rose, the police stormed the doors of he auditorium, and attempted to stop the performance on the grounds that the costumes were indecent. They maintained that they displayed, too brazenly, the contours of the children's growing shapely bodies. It was only because of the vigorous intervention of friends and followers, that the police finally withdrew, and permitted the performance to go on.

Had it not been for the aid of these friends, motivated by their firm belief in her sincerity of purpose, and fine aesthetic sense, this very beautiful thought, which she later used in the development of the Dance Art, would have been stifled, and no doubt remained dormant for many years.

Saved from the withering hand of police censorship, Isadora Duncan's idea was transferred to thousands of children, and attracted a wide audience, who came to believe in it as earnestly as she.

Briefly, the idea promulgated was this:

To read the most outstanding and reputable authors: to listen to the music of such composers as Beethoven, Tschaikowsky, Wagner, and Mozart: to gaze upon, and to absorb the works of our very best painters and sculptors: to ramble among the trees and flowers, to hear the birds, breathe the air, and to actually live with Nature. where she is most glorified in the woods, is part of the education of these children.

Thus were the young, growing children introduced to all intellectual beauties of life: and then. when the joy of recreating their emotions in the dance medium faced them, this inspiring background gave impetus to their artistic creations.

Their inner life, subtly influenced by this wide and beautiful background, served as a mine of experience. from which welled up numerous conceptions asking to be concretized in the Dance.

The value of this inward gratification, however, would be absolutely nil, without an unrestricted and unconfined body, which, allows to move freely, gives to the audience and the aspirants of the Dance, the feelings that the dancers have captured during their sojourn in this happy environment.

Isadora Duncan was responsible for the most revolutionary changes the dance world has ever known. It will not be long however, before tremendous strides in the same direction will be taken by other dancers, who feel today. as she felt in her times. that the hampering, and movement-restricting raiment, stand between them in the fullest realization of their dance creations.

Nudist colonies are growing rapidly throughout the world. In Germany, lovers of the sun, and the freely moving body flock to the Nudist colonies. In Sweden, the ranks grow. In America, a stronghold of puritanical and blue law ideals, prejudiced against Nudism. are being destroyed with ever increasing rapidity. As these colonies grow. and the dancers realize that from them, and from the lessons they teach, their dancing will be immeasurably enriched, they will join them, and bring to the Nudist movement a new strength, a new life, and a new vigor.

The writer of this commentary has conducted an experiment which brought about the most interesting results. A trip was made to a Nudist colony. Since one of the aims of the Nudist colonies is to perfect a well-rounded education, dance classes may be seen in session. Approaching from the distance, an arm or leg is seen reaching toward the sky; a back is bent: and still another body is swaying to the tune of the Autumn breeze. It is just a limbering-up exercise. Now comes the regular routine work to teach unity of movement. Hands at shoulder level! Down! Up! Down! Deep knee bending! Down and Up! Swinging hip over to one side! And back! And who of the onlookers would not be inspired by such precision of movement, such grace in its fulfillment?

The group then divided into small groups of five. They worked on improvisations, using for accompaniment, their own humming. After a decision was reached as to definite movements, each group performed. A vote was taken as to the most expressive dance, and then the group which had created the dance, proceeded to teach it to the others.

All of this technique and creative work was done without any impediment whatsoever.

So impressed was the writer with what had been seen, that she was moved to the decision of planning a class in her own dance studio in the city.

Here she taught what she had learned. At about 7:00 P. M., the members of the class began to to slowly stroll in. They went into the dressing room, chatted while getting into their tights, wholly unaware of the revelation I had in store for them.

In the studio. with the group gathered around me. I gave a little talk before starting the class. When they learned what I had seen at the Nudist colony. the expressions on their faces were interesting to note. One of the more impressed pupils made a motion that we dance in the "nude."

"Is it allowed"? another questioned. But who was to stop us since we were indoors? A few still hesitated but since the majority voted for it, they all joined in as good sports. That class was conducted in the "nude."

As soon as the dance was over, they all gathered about me, filled to the brim with their impressions. The majority felt that they had found a new spirit, a new freedom. They decided to find out more about this idea, about which they were only vaguely aware.

An outing was arranged the Nudist Colony in which I conducted a class outdoors for them; and as a conclusion to this experiment many of my pupils have joined the Nudist ranks. We have classes regularly, creating new and more beautiful dances which more than likely would have never been born had we not taken the initiative.

It is also true, however that many of the well-known dancers will encounter in any obstacles strewn in their path. No doubt their courageous efforts combating these barriers will rise above this opposition and I have every reason to believe that they will be successful. As any Art is a reflection of the ideas of the day and very often anticipates those of the future. It is also a modifying instrument on these ideas. The Art of the Dance is advancing the philosophy of Nudism, and cannot fail to influence contemporary thought.