Page four
THE TWIG
Janviary 23, 1953
(Ballet:
The Rise of a Great American Art
By BETTY HOCKADAY
Ever since the breath-taking
performance of the Ballet The
atre in Raleigh two weeks ago,
the very mention of the word
ballet seems to produce sighs
of ecstasy from scores of Mere
dith “Angels.” Such a reaction
is instantaneous with many of
us, for years of study and work
in this great art have proved
how truly glorious it is.
Ballet is an art that is either
loved passionately or disliked
equally as intensely. America
has been slow to accept it, chief
ly because of our early defi
ciency in trained teachers and
promising talent. The Ballet
Russe is responsible for a great
deal of the growing American
audience, for it was the first
large-sized company to attempt
a complete season of repertory.
Since then (1933), ballet in
America has been rapidly reach
ing artistic maturity. More
money and finer performers
have definitely raised the tech
nical standards required for
competition with the European
professional ballet.
Ballet, just like any other art,
it a reflection of the genre of its
surroundings, which in turn is
influenced by the traditions of
countless preceding generations.
American ballet as such is bare
ly fifteen years old, but it can be
recognized as a product and mir
ror of American creativeness,
pioneering, and youth. Could
Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo, Ruth
Page’s Frankie and Johnny, or
Eugene Boring’s Billy, the Kid
be conceivably thought of as
fruits of the European imagina
tion? Hardly, for a highly
developed art that has been
deeply-rooted in the Russian
traditions does not readily
change.
The names that are associated
with contemporary American
ballet are recognized all over
the world as belonging to artists
of boundless ability. The choreg-
raphy of George Balanchine and
Agnes de Mille leaves nothing
to be desired.
Dancers such as Mary Ella
Moylan, Maria Tallchief, Valerie
Bettis, William Dollar, Anthony
Tudor, Nora Kaye, Nana Goll-
ner, Hugh Laing, Frederick
Franklin, and John Kriza are
constantly giving performances
of the highest calibre. The talent
of these artists plus the increas
ing appreciativeness of the
American public will eventually
cause the United States to lead
the world of dance.
Of the wealth of ballet litera
ture on the market today, the
most informing periodical is the
Dance Magazine. This magazine
is dedicated to our own talent,
therefore highly indicative of
American ballet progress. Agnes
de Mille’s autobiography, Dance
of the Pipers, is delightfully en
lightening, and is a must for any
ballet enthusiast. For anyone
who is interested in the history
and technique of this mag-
nificient art, George Amberg’s
lavishly illustrated Ballet in
America cannot be too highly
praised. In fact, it would be a
handsome addition to any li
brary.
JOAN LANGLEY
(Continued from page one)
“Congratulations. Your try-out
has qualified you for member
ship on our College Board.”
From 2,000 college students who
entered the contest, Joan was
ALUMNAE NEWS
Alpha Psi Omega takes in new members. Left to right are Mary
Cobb Dickens, Charleen Swanzey, and Kitty Way nick, new members,
with Mary Jo Isaacs, Alpha Psi Omega vice-president.
The following marriages have
been reported to the Alumnae
Office:
Martha Sue Smith, 1951, of
New Hill, to John Marshall
Clement on December 28. The
couple is living in Raleigh.
Rosalyn Poole, 1952, of Dunn,
to James Stephenson Farthing,
Jr. on December 13. Fort Jack-
son, S. C. is their temporary
home.
Allene Brown, 1952, of Ashe-
boro, to Hoyt Vernon Brown on
November 15. Their home is
Hampton, Va.
Rebecca Jane Buchanan, ex-
1954, of Dover, Delaware, to
Joshua Marion Twilley on De
cember 27.
The following births have
been reported:
A son, Ralph, Jr., to Mr. and
Mrs. Ralph Bowen (Frances Ann
Estridge, 1951) on October 29.
A son, Hannis, HI, to Mr. and
Mrs. Hannis Thompson, Jr.,
(Frances Almond, 1951) on De
cember 1.
A son, Richard Earl, to Mr.
and Mrs. Earl Cook, (Helen
Brunson, 1951) on December 19.
Did you know that the stone
benches found at intervals
around the campus were given
by Meredith alumnae?
one of 750 to be selected for the
College Board.
A senior home economics
major, Joan is president of the
Granddaughters’ Club and as
sistant editor of The Twig. After
graduation in June, she plans to
work in the field of home eco
nomics.
Serving as a College Board
member, Joan reports to Made
moiselle concerning college life
and events at Meredith. In the
next three months she will have
three specific assignments in the
fields of illustration, writing,
editing, or fashion advertising.
Through these assignments Joan
will compete with other prelim
inary winners for one of the
twenty guest editorships which
the magazine will award in May.
Those girls winning editor
ships will receive paid transpor
tation to and from New York
City, where they will spend four
weeks in June.
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