Метнеры и танец

Like many persons of their circle, the Medtners were well acquainted with the new trends in modern dance, and especially with Isadora Duncan's dance, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze's rhythmic gymnastic and Rudolf Steiner's Eurhythmie. While Nikolai favoured Duncan dance, Emil preferred Dalcroze and paid several visits to the Swiss maître at his schools in Hellerau and Geneva. The brothers' interest in dance might be stimulated by the contemporary theoretical discussion of the “motor” nature of music as well as the practical question: to what extent choreography should follow the music. The article also examines dances and a ballet staged to works by Nikolai Medtner.