“如果你50岁时跳舞，没有什么大不了的;而60岁时跳舞，会让人家觉得很好奇;到了70岁居然还能跳舞，好家伙，你就成了传奇!”——露丝•圣丹尼斯
WhenIneedagiftorapairofshoesthesedays, Ibrowse[1] onlineordrivetothemall. SeldomdoIseeafamiliarfacebehindacashregister[2]. Indeed, it’softenhardtofindanyonetohelpatall.
Notsointimespast, whenashoppingexpeditionmeantdressingupinasuitandglovesforabusridedowntowntooneoranotherofthevenerabledepartmentstores.[3]
Onesuchventureoccurredmanyyearsago, whenItookMissRuthSt. DenisonashoppingexcursiontotheJordanMarshdepartmentstore.[4] AcontemporaryofIsadoraDuncan, shewasconsideredafoundingmatriarchofAmericanmoderndance.[5]
“MissRuth,” asshewasuniversallycalled, firstdancedbarefootinNewYorkin 1905 whensheappearedveiledinthecostumeofatempledancerfromIndia.[6] LikeMs. Duncan, MissRuthconsideredperformingahighercalling, motivatedbyspiritualinspiration. ShespentthreeyearsinEuropebeforeWorldWarI, butunlikeDuncan, returnedtotheUnitedStatestomakeherreputation. Withherhusband, TedShawn, shecreatedDenishawn, thefirstAmericandancetroupe[7], andtouredcitieslargeandsmallacrossAmericaduringthe 1920s. MarthaGraham[8] wasoneoftheprizepupilsattheschooltheyestablishedinCalifornia.