Series IV contains prints that are among Genthe's most poetic and purely artistic. They capture a watershed moment in dance performance, when the aesthetic began to change from classical to modern; these developments are exemplified most dramatically by the shots of Isadora Duncan and her dancers, the Marion Morgan Group, and the Ritual Dancers of St. Mark. While to modern eyes some of the props and articulations - the flowing Grecian robes, the urns and "palace" settings, maidens frolicking through the woods - may border on parody, they represent something revolutionary: a breaking free of Victorian constraints, a sudden liberty of the female form. Two rather more sophisticated photographs, of Anita Zahn and Margaret Severn dancing at ocean's edge, utilize the same "exotic" costuming (flowing, sheer robes) and naturalistic setting. The remainder of the prints are rooted more in the theater: Tilly Losch and Harald Kreutzberg in "Orientalist" pose and costuming (another popular aesthetic in the early 20th century); Uday Shan-Kar and Simkie, who brought traditional Indian dance to Manhattan; and the well-known "La Argentina" (Antonia Merce), in classic flamenco pose. The prints in the series range from about 9 by 7 inches to 13 by 10 inches; all are black and white. Photographs are arranged alphabetically by last name, title, or description.
