be a little bit
nervous perhaps before making the first entrance in a new play on an
important first night. But the sight of the audience cures that.

[Illustration: NW]

THE DANCE AND THE DRAMA

[Illustration]

The art of acting as it has been known for thousands of years, derives
from the dance, and is a direct evolution from the representation of
the emotions as portrayed by the primitive dancers. Joy, anger, love,
jealousy, hatred, revenge, triumph and defeat were all interpreted in
the Grecian dances of the period antedating the introduction of the
speaking actors, who told in words and gestures the stories that had
formerly been conveyed through the dance. The victorious warriors
returned from battle danced to show how they had fought and destroyed
the enemy. The hunter described in a dance how he had slain wild
animals. The traveller who had visited what to him were distant lands,
told of the strange people he had met by imitating them while he
danced. Gradually there was evolved the addition of spoken words
supplementing the action, accompanied by appropriate gestures and
facial expression. Man had discovered his ability to become for the
moment another person, and to interpret certain emotions more vividly
than through the medium of the dance. The stage became the
opportunity not only for the representation of elemental forces and
actions, but also for the principal creations of the imagination.

While the slowly developing drama departed widely from the limitations
of its origin, there has, nevertheless, remained an association with
the dance that will continue for all time. Especially is this true of
the lighter branch of the drama, comedy, and the modern combination
known as musical comedy or comic opera. In the popular stage
entertainments of the day dancing forms an important feature of a
large percentage of all productions that appear in the leading
theatres. In many of the classical plays, by great dramatists, that
are annually chosen for revivals, the dance appears, and the actor or
actress who cannot dance misses many opportunities for profitable
engagements. There has always been a kinship between the dance and the
legitimate drama, and many prominent stars began their apprenticeship
for the stage in the ranks of musical comedy or as vaudeville dancers.
With few exceptions it will be found that the men and women who have
achieved success on the stage are enthusiastic devotees of dancing,