Harry Hamilton: assisted by Wana Williams

              BERTHA OTT .... PRESENTS
HARRY HAMILTON ASSISTED BY WANA WILLIAMS

AMERICA'S LEADING EXPONENTS OF THE DANCE

Figure


TOUR DIRECTION:  THE HORNER BUREAU, INC. 3000 TROOST AVENUE
NEW YORK
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
WASHINGTON



Figure



THE NEW YORK SUN



HARRY HAMILTON DANCES AT THE GUILD



Harry Hamilton, assisted by Wana Williams, appeared last evening at the Guild Theatre in a program of dances, all composed by Mr. Hamilton.  These two young artists had first of all 
youth and vivacity, as well as pleasing ideas to introduce to their audience.
  There was 
much variety in their program
 which ranged from such serious matters as 'Prayer,' 'Soul-Cry,' and 'Maelstrom of the Mind' to 'Le Boulevardier' and 'Juba.'  Their technique was founded on what is called the modernistic dance, but 
preserving curves and grace never approaching angularity, and consequently the dancing had plasticity and agility.




In the 'Song of Songs' done by he and his partner, 
there was poetic conception and charm of execution.  The 'Pastorale in Discord' and 'Juba' had humor to commend them.  The graceful performances of Mr. Hamilton and his partner and their exhibition of mimetic skill gave evident pleasure to the audience.




N. Y. HERALD-TRIBUNE



HARRY HAMILTON PRESENTS DANCE COMPOSITIONS HERE


Californian Makes Local Debut at Guild Theatre




Harry Hamilton, a young California dancer, appeared for the first time locally in a program of his own choreographic compositions in the Guild Theare [sicTheatre]last night, assisted by Wana Williams.  Although Mr. Hamilton in some aspects of his art is an exponent of the Modern Dance, 
he does not, like many of the younger dancers, attempt to follow sociological trends in his work.  His style is essentially a lyric decorative one, occasionally touched with humor.  He has had an excellent technical grounding and his dancing revealed
 both easy grace and suppleness.  In 'Le Boulevardier,' and in 'Poeme d'Extase,' danced with Miss Williams to a Johann Strauss waltz, 
his work had a definitely debonair charm.  An audience of good size applauded
 copiously.




J.D.B.



Figure



N. Y. WORLD-TELEGRAM


Mr. Hamilton, making his local debut, 
delighted his observers with a series of extremely well danced sequences of his own creation.
  He was assisted by Miss Williams in several of them.  
Particularly
 enjoyable was 'Ceremonial,' calling for both Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams, 'Le Boulevardier,' by Mr. Hamilton, and 'Poeme D'Extase' by both dancers.


PITTS SANBORN




BIOGRAPHY



After seeing Anna Pavlova, Harry Hamilton became so inspired by the exquisite beauty of her ballet and the perfection of her technique that he was fired with determination to be the greatest American male dancer of his time.  Since no opportunity presented itself to study with the great Anna, Hamilton, when only ten years old, joined two former members of Pavlova's original company, Andreas Pavley and Serge Oukrainsky, formerly her partner.  Later, leaving them to join the Chicago Civic Opera Ballet.




After graduating from school he left for the Pacific Coast to join Raoul Pausé's Ballet Moderne in the capacity of 
Featured Soloist
 of that organization.  After two seasons on the road he accepted the position as director of the Dance Department in the Baldwin McGaw School of the Theatre in San Francisco.




It was at this time that the lovely young Wana Williams became a pupil of his and it was Hamilton who furthered her along in her predestined career as a truly great dancer.  While in San Francisco, Hamilton presented many dance productions on the Pacific Coast, and in conjunction with the school won personal acclaim for his original dances in Ibsen's 
Peer Gynt
 using the entire Grieg Score, his group also triumphed with his dances introduced in Rostand's 
L'Aiglon.




A long period of study both here and abroad with Harold Kruetzberg and Mary Wigman account for the remainder of his colorful background.




Hamilton, who has the able assistance of Miss Williams as his partner, is an established concert artist.  Together they are winning the acclaim they so assuredly deserve and are continuing to draw 
rave
 notices from hardened critics from coast to coast.





SPECIMEN PROGRAM
PART I




Prelude


Debussy




Ceremonial

Debussy
Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams

Soul-Cry

Debussy
Harry Hamilton

Journey to the End of Night

Palmgren
Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams

Le Boulevardier

Valverde
Harry Hamilton

Renaissance

Fauré
Wana Williams

Pastorale in Discord

Grieg
Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams



INTERMISSION PART II





Prelude


Chopin




Song of Songs

Debussy
Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams

Prayer

Schubert
Harry Hamilton

Poeme d'Extase

Strauss

Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams

Maelstrom of the Mind

Stojowski
Wana Williams

Juba

Dett
Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams



INTERMISSION PART III





Prelude


Rimsky-Korsakoff




Temple Song

Strickland
Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams

Waldo

Debussy
Harry Hamilton

1860 Promenade

Stix
Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams


All Dances conceived and created by Mr. Hamilton.  Costumes designed by Mr. Hamilton and executed by Mme. Donnee, San Francisco.  Masks by Wallace Bancroft.

Photographs by Romaine of San Francisco, Bloom of Chicago, and Käte Basarke of Dresden.



ACCLAIMED BY CRITICS FROM COAST TO COAST



LOS ANGELES TIMES



GUEST ARTIST HANDED LAURELS



. . . 
Hamilton
 showed a 
highly developed technique
 in his various solo selections … 
decidedly impressive … striking individuality in composition
. …




MARY MAYER.




EVANSTON NEWS-INDEX



HAMILTON'S DANCE RECITAL


Harry Hamilton, former Chicagoan, proved in his dance recital Sunday afternoon at the Goodman Theare that 
his years spent in the study of the technique of the dance have resulted in a most commendable repertoire of dance compositions.
  With the assistance of Miss Wana Williams, his pupil and partner, Mr. Hamilton delved into the realm of comedy, fantasy, and ceremony, in his 
brilliant program of original numbers.




Of Mr. Hamilton's solos, 'Le Boulevardier' and Waldo' were his 
most appealing
 presentations, filled with 
excellent pantomime
 and showing his 
fine ability at choreographic composition.
  'Le Boulevardier' (Valverde) has lightness and whimsy, 'Waldo,' the capricious youngster, refreshing and playful.  'Pastorale in Discord' (Grieg), a duo-dance, is 
full of contrasts and enables both dancers to dance and mime at their best.




Miss Williams was at her best in 'Renaissance,' in which she used 
beautiful decorative stylizations
 and again in 'Maelstrom of the Mind' (Stojowski) 
her ability proved
 itself in a freer treatment of movement.




KARL GASSLANDER.




Figure


SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER



SOLO DANCING WINS PLAUDITS



. . . 
Harry Hamilton, one of the most accomplished solo dancers it has been my pleasure to see
, gave a recital last night at the Fairmont Playhouse. … 
Mr. Hamilton
 obviously has been schooled in the traditions of the ballet and 
has the technique and imagination of a genuine artist. . . .




ALFRED FRANKENSTEIN.




DAVENPORT DEMOCRAT


The audience was more than pleased with the program and 
Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams are established in the hearts of the dance loving people here by their first recital.  They will be remembered and welcomed again
. …  The value of the program was greatly enhanced by the setting of the right kinds of light. …  'Ceremonial' 'Prayer,' and 'Temple Song' bring a religious feeling, a prayerful softness and finish most restful and pleasing.  'Journey to the End of Night,' 'Song of Sonas' and 'Soul Cry,' from another group, which are serious in thought and interpretation and beautiful in vision.  
There is a delicacy and warmth in all their work which is quite unusual and most delightful.  The perfect blend and harmony of thought, action and color in all of these dances is quite out of the ordinary.  The pictures they painted will not soon be forgotten.  The serious note of their work will remain, but they are not lacking in comedy of the highest type, which is both subtle and obvious.  Mr. Hamilton gives us the first touch of it in his 'Le Boulevardier,' which pleased so well that the storm of applause not only demanded several curtain calls, but a repeat of the number.  Again he captured the house with his 'Waldo,'
 all so true to life, all so spontaneous that every one was carried back to his own childhood with great rapidity.  He was an adorable imp, but he needed a spanking.  'Pastorale in Discord,' 'Juba' and '1860 Promenade,' were the lighter numbers which Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams shared to the great delight of the audience.


Mr. Hamilton also designed the costumes—which are examples of great range and blend of colors.  He is most painstaking and careful in picking up the minor tones and seeing that they are not forgotten when once they have been introduced.  His soft effects for the more serious dances are quite as delightful as the lighter pictures for the comedy dances.  
He is an artist.  We hope for a return engagement of these two young dancers during the present season.



WM. ZIEGLER NOURSE.



CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE


Like most 
good modern dancers,
 Harry Hamilton and Wana Williams 
did an excellent job of delighting
 the elect and puzzling the laity at their Goodman Theatre Recital yesterday afternoon.  Several of the items, it is true, were calculated to delight elect and laity both, notably the arcadian 'Pastorale,' the earthy 'Juba,' 
Mr. Hamilton's clever 'Waldo,'
 and 'Le Boulevardier.'


Mr. Hamilton is a 
competent and versatile young dancer with plenty of ideas.
  Also a 
wide knowledge of music
 for he found Stix's pat little Spielerei and used it in his '1860 Promenade.'




A taking humor and penetrating insight into the moods and whims of humans make Miss Williams an excellent pantomimist.  She possesses, also of course
, technical equipment that laughs at difficulties.



EDWARD BARRY.


Figure



THE CHICAGO HERALD & EXAMINER



HAMILTON IN RENDITION OF INTERPRETATIVE DANCE


Some intriguing additions to the vocabulary of the interpretative dance were displayed by Harry Hamilton
 who, with the collaboration of Wana Williams, offered a program of original numbers yesterday afternoon in the Goodman Theatre.  This young man, who comes from Chicago, 
belies his somewhat stiff antecedents by demonstrating a lithe and plastic grace which none of our visiting Russians can surpass.  The degree of flexibility which he achieves is more remarkable than that of a contortionist since it adds fleet and rhythmic motion to a seemingly bonelessness.




This limber Jack is a personality.  Master of an amazing technic
, he employs its resources to fix himself in the attention of his public.  He has a 
subtle sense of humor, a gift for gentle caricature, enough effortless energy to make swift motion fascinating and sufficient poise to stand still in interesting fashion.



His associate, Miss Williams, is 
quite as potent a personality and apparently just as good a technician.
  Together they did a 'Ceremonial Dance' that reminded one of Kruetzberg and Georgi in their palmy days offered a Wigmannesque 'Journey to the End of Night' and did a 'Pastorale in Discord' that was all 
gay comedy.



Miss Williams was all 
sedate grace
 in her definition of 'Renaissance' danced to some charming and unfamiliar music by Fauré.  She showed the necessary animation in some of the succeeding numbers, notably in a weird fantasy called, 'Maelstrom of the Mind.'



Like most dancers Hamilton is not interpreting music.  He sets forth a mute drama in terms of the dance-pantomime and uses the associated music for its rhythm and also to amplify suggested moods.




GLENN DILLARD GUNN.



CHICAGO DAILY NEWS


HARRY HAMILTON IN DANCE RECITAL HERE 
NO PRODIGAL SON



With the aid of Wana Williams, Harry Hamilton danced a program of his own patterns, Sunday afternoon at the Goodman.  There was a 
large audience and it applauded sturdily.  The two are excellent dancers, light, agile, and persuasive they are decorative and they can be sprightly;
 at the right moment 
the vein of feeling runs deep and it runs true.  There is as little sense of effort in their dancing as there is in Mr. Hamilton's compositions.  It is obvious that they are headed for success, and Mr. Hamilton's warmly welcomed home-coming was strictly in order.



EUGENE STINSON.


Figure



Figure



MUSIC NEWS


Harry Hamilton, who gave a dance recital at the Goodman Theatre with Wana Williams as his partner, 
proved himself to be an accomplished and well disciplined artist with a particularly keen sense of humor.
  A long period of study with both ballet and modern dancers has given his work a 
sound basis of craftsmanship
 and at the same time an 
imaginative value which is unusual.
  Most of his choreographic efforts were actuated by music of the modernist school.  
Miss Williams is a very personable and lovely dancer.



MUSICAL COURIER


Harry Hamilton, Chicago boy, and Wana Williams, his dancing partner, made their first appearance here at the Goodman Theatre under the direction of Bertha Ott.  
These two Americans disclosed terpsichorean talent far above the average
, for they not only have 
originality
, but 
technique, grace, charm and much imagination.
  Hamilton and Williams 
should give a return recital here, for the audience buoyantly manifested its pleasure throughout the course of the program, demanding repetition after repetition of their charming
 dance compositions.



MUSICAL WEST


An outstanding offering … extremely clever … enthusiastically received.
  Harry Hamilton revealed himself as a 
gifted comedian
 as well as a 
brilliant dancer.  His 'Le Boulevardier' was so delightful, it simply had to be repeated.  Mr. Hamilton has a distinct flair for humorous characterizations, a decidedly unique talent. …  A valuable acquisition to the dance, from both the
 dance and choreographic angle. …  Fine terpsichorean skill.



NEW YORK TIMES



HARRY HAMILTON IN DEBUT



Harry Hamilton, who comes from the West Coast, made his local bow in a program of numbers of his own composition.  
Their chief accent rests upon presentation, and their purpose, entertaining.




Mr. Hamilton moves well in a style that is fundamentally of the ballet
 with the addition of some modern technical training acquired in Germany.  
He is a good showman and quite obviously knows his way about the stage.



Wana Williams, who appeared as his partner in several numbers and also offered two solos, is 
likewise a well trained and dependable young dancer.




JOHN MARTIN.



NEW YORK DAILY MIRROR



HARRY HAMILTON DANCES, GUILD



A talented young dancer of the modern school.  He and Miss Wana Williams captivating.




(Tabloid Critique) JULIAN SEAMAN.



OAKLAND TRIBUNE


. . . Sheer poesy of rhythmic movement was combined with fascinating dramatic visualization … light, rhythmical, dazzling 
and glamorous.



RONALD D. SCOFIELD.



SAN JOSE MERCURY HERALD


. . . Outstanding … delightfully humorous … dramatic … impressive … effectively costumed … enthusiastic praise.



WASP-NEWS LETTER


Harry Hamilton, dancer of easily discernable [sicdiscernible]ability, and his able assistant, the youthful Wana Williams, gave a beautiful Dance Concert presented by Baldwin McGaw at the Fairmont Playhouse recently.  
The many dances of the program were marked by originality
 in the extreme and temporized the modern mood in rhythm and costuming.  'Devotional,' with especially composed 
music, was the magnificent opening number, enabling Mr. Hamilton to show his unusual skill in using his arms and hands.
  Mr. Hamilton and Miss Williams reached a 
very high plane in their dance, 'Song of Songs.'
  The 'Peasant and the Doll,' a bit of drollery, showed the team at their best in the comic vein, and the gay frivolous 'Holiday' was a merry closing unit in 
an evening spent with two charming artists.



DOLPHINE MARTIN.


Figure

Figure

Figure


CHICAGO AMERICAN


The Musical Season could not possibly have been ushered in under more pleasantly auspicious circumstances
, for two dancers, little heralded, but 
astonishingly capable, made the dance a thing of joy
 in the Goodman Theatre yesterday afternoon.  Bertha Ott, with her usual flair, chose to exploit the arresting talent of Harry Hamilton and Wana Williams, Americans both, in a program of original dance compositions, inaugurating her 1936-1937 musical activities with these 
very outstanding young artists.  Hamlton [sicHamilton]has all a male dancer should possess in order to rise to the pinnacle in his art:  Personality, technique, grace, a sense of humor, the gift of portraying every mood and finesse.
  The same may be said for his associate Wana Williams, who in addition to being a 
worthy partner, has graces of her own
, and a winning, ingratiating smile.  
Together they were charming in the Grieg 'Pastorale in Discord' which caught the fancy of the audience as did most of their offerings, for many repetitions were insistently demanded throughout the course of the afternoon.



Chicago will likely see more of these two, America's leading exponents of the dance.




HERMAN DEVRIES



SAN FRANCISCO NEWS



DANCE RECITAL SHOWS FLAIR FOR COMEDY



. . . 
Harry Hamilton and Wana Williams confirmed the excellent impression made in previous appearances
 in a dance recital at the Fairmont Playhouse last evening.  The program ranged from impressionistic modern choreography to humorous divertissements. … 
They proved they could be 'Arty' and also entertaining and artistic in both fields. …  The depiction of terror was excellently accom
plished in Mr. Hamilton's most serious dramatic mood.  'Condemned.'  
In a lyric mood the twain made an excellent impression in 'Temple Son' and 'Song of Songs.' …  Triumphed in their comedy char
acterizations, 'Le Boulevardier,' 'Special Delivery,' 'The Doll and the Peasant,' and 'Holiday,' all excel in humor. …  Their numbers 
infallibly clicked. …  Costumes and lighting effects enhance the performance. . . . .




MARJORY M. FISHER.



PALO ALTO TIMES


OUTSTANDING PROGRAM AT CIVIC THEATRE



. . . 
Audience enthusiasm was captured by Harry Hamilton
, a 
lithe
, dark chap with a 
sense of humor
 and 
with a grace that was beautiful in repose as well as in motion. …
  In his 
'Waterfront
Sketch,' he resembled something out of Rockwell Kent's 'Sketch 
Book.' …  As for rhythm, he had it. …  Delighted his audience with his amusing sketches. …  Exotic. …  Dramatically interesting. . . .



SANTA CRUZ NEWS


HARRY HAMILTON, YOUTHFUL DANCER SCORES HIT
. . . He brought to his audience not only a 
splendid sense of rhythm, interpretation and dramatic values, but a sincerity and genuine inspiration which was utterly convincing.  In his first solo number, 'Mythos,' his entire body was in rhythmic accord and his facial expression evidenced his sheer joy in his art. …  Enthusiastically encored on every appearance. . . .



M. R. R.



AMERICAN DANCER


Harry Hamilton came out of the West to make his bow to New York audiences in a program of dances at the Guild Theatre.  
There was great variety in the numbers
, ranging from such themes as 'Prayer' and 'Soul-Cry' to humorous studies such as 'Juba' and 'Waldo.'  (Little Waldo off for his violin lesson.)  
All of the dances were created by Mr. Hamilton who avoids the grotesque or ugly, keeping to the lyric, more decorative style.  They were well presented and those which displayed Mr. Hamilton's talents in mime were especially liked by the audience.  Young, agile, personable, he dances with assurance and good sense of rhythm.  He was assisted by Wana Williams, who moves beautifully.
  She contributed several solos, the best of which was 
'Maelstrom of the Mind,' a flowing enchantment of fast, rhythmic motion.



ALBERTINA VITAK.



DANCE MAGAZINE


Hamilton has a very exceptional pliancy and grace.
  His elflike lightness and the lissome curves which his hands and arms assumed suggested swayings of the grass in the wind.  
His technique, a refined blend of many modes.
  …  He has good stage presence and can wear colorful costumes well. …  
Wana Williams, an excellent partner, indicated a serious and sincere conception of the Dance with a body always well controlled.



JOSEPH ARNOLD KAYE.