Ballet-Master Has Had To Become A Linguist
Many unusual demands are often made on the members of touring theatrical companies, who have to adapt themselves to unexpected situations. Miss Katherine Dunham’s practice of signing on promising dancers from almost every country she visits—at least 30 so far—has not made the task of 33-year-old Lenwood Morris,, her ballet-master, any easier. The Philadelphia-born dancer, who joined the company as an apprentice 13 years ago—after running away from home—has learnt to speak both French and Spanish in addition to his native English. On this New Zealand tour 10 nationalities are represented among the dancers, singers, management staff and orchestra. They come from the United States, Mexico, Haiti, , Cuba, Australia, Scotland, and four other countries.
“Changing all the Time” As she sat in one of the stalls yesterday afternoon—while electricians and stagehands busied ) themselves with the preparations for the evening performance—- . Lucille Ellis began to count them t off on her fingers. - Miss Ellis, who was a founder- ’ member and has been with Miss r Dunham for 18 years, found herself saying: “No, she’s left . . . . he went in Sydney ... oh, I think ‘ it must be about 10, but it’s ’ changing all the time.” Jorge Saenz, 21-year-old Mexi- [ can, who joined the company two years ago in Mexico City, is one of those whom Miss Dunham • “picked up along the way.” Another is Albert Lagurre, a drummer from Haiti, who has been with the company since 1950. Two left in Australia. And two joined. They are 22-year-old Anita Ardell, from Sydney, and 21-year-old Janette Liddell, of Melbourne. Whenever the company plays for some months in a country Miss Dunham likes to sign on local dancers, and they often stay with the company for some years. All those who join her company must' learn Miss Dunham’s own technique, which Mr Morris described yesterday as “a combination of classical and modern, with emphasis on the hips and pelvic region, the centre of the body.” Some, like Ural Wilsqn, of New York City, went first to her school in New York—now closed—and joined the company later with a basic training. Favourite Countries Those who have been with Miss Dunham over the years all have their favourite countries and personal memories. Mr Wilson yesterday chose four: “There’s Italy, it’s attractive, and the people are warm and outgoing; Denmark, warm and hospitable people, and we had a wonderful success there; Mexico, it’s my love, but I can’t explain why; and France, well, we’ve played so many seasons there that I feel I know France best of all.” Now the members of the company are waiting to hear of Miss Dunham’s plans for New Zealand. Already they are picking up bits and snatches of Maori dances and
chants, and Mr Morris was yesterday trying to remember how to count in Maori.
But 20-year-old Deborah Velazquez, from Mexico, already has a memento from New Zealand. She is wearing a small paua-shell heart-shaped pendant—“from a friend—in -Wellington,” she explained shyly.
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Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28262, 27 April 1957, Page 12
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497Ballet-Master Has Had To Become A Linguist Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28262, 27 April 1957, Page 12
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