Ballet: A Manifestation of High Art

"Ballet" is a lofty art, and the peoples of deep-rooted civilization know this inspired form of dance, which expresses all the hidden and subtle feelings in man — from deep emotions, to unbridled passions, to joy, gladness, and calm... The art of dance has known no loftier form than ballet. In the past months the city of Beirut witnessed two ballet seasons: the first with a French troupe, which presented many numbers, and the second with an Eastern, Iranian troupe...

It is regrettable that we in this country have not yet become acquainted with this lofty form of dance, and that our clubs go on living on those cheap varieties.

And as we hope that our artistic life may one day be enriched, we are much concerned to present samples of this lofty art from the various civilized peoples. On these two pages are examples of this art among the Russian peoples, who have begun to take a strong interest in it.

Here is one of the famous Russian dancers, "Alla Shelest," in splendid poses...

This "Alla Shelest" is a graduate of the Leningrad college of the art of dance, the college that has produced a generation of great artists, such as "Ulanova" and "Marina Semyonova" and other names very well known in Russia and outside Russia...

In the year in which "Alla" graduated, the theaters of Russia were preparing to stage the ballet "Katerina," a tale drawn from Russian tsarist history. No sooner had "Alla" left the school than the role of Katerina was entrusted to her, and the beautiful dancer astonished the crowds of spectators with her measured dramatic expression, in a state of artistic perfection and exquisite harmony.

Great fame spread about her, and she appeared in several great Russian classical pieces.

In the piece (Fosst aux Cabres) "Alla Shelest" was able to rise to the summit, in her revolt against tyranny, her whole being crying out... Vengeance! Vengeance!...

She has performed several roles besides these, among them the role of the Georgian beauty in "Dram," and she also appeared in the role of the Spanish dancer in the piece "Don Quixote."

And modern Russian art knows brilliant faces worthy of consideration besides that of "Alla Shelest."