Ballet Had Its Beginning In Hard And Exacting School

Chronicle (Levin), 1 November 1949, Page 4

Ballet Had Its Beginning In Hard And Exacting School

— Ballet, as we know it today, was nurtured in Russia at the Imperial School of Ballet and at the Marinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. There, under the guidance of great masters and before royalty, were trkined those dancers whose fame will live for ever and whose names were household words wherever ballet was mentioned. Pavlova, Karsavina and Vaslav Nijinsky are just a few of the since famous dancers who were trained in those hard and exacting schools.

The first tour of a Russian ballet took place in 1907, Finland, Denmark and Sweden being visited. Then two years later the Imperial Ballet of the Czars toured Western Europe under the direction of Diaghileff. From that time on the obsession known as balletomania has spread like wildfire. The visit of Colonel de Basil's Monte Carlo Russian Ballet to New Zealand and. Australia in 1937 was an important event in the artistic life of these two countries." Ballet is recognised as one of the highest forms, of art, calling to its aid the threefold elements of the dance, music and the scenic skill of ff mous painters. Since the dawn of civilisation mankind in gLll its ages has found pleasure in the dance. It expresses the joy of living in its power of free and delightful rhotion. To'dav ballet is acclaimed more liighly than ever before. Eng'land is nqw the centre of ballet activitv and the creation of the .'famous b2llet company at Sqdler's Wells must rank as a mgjor Britigh artistic achievemqnt. The ' Brilish people, "beyond enjoying' its" "entertainrhent, have realised the 'educatiohal value of ballet and the important . role it can play in developing the arts of painting, music, drama and dancing. In 1947 the Borovansky Company made a most successful tour of New Zealand. This company had Rs beginning in Austraiia at the Melbpurne Ballet plhb,, whjch was formed in 1§4Q. A year later the Rambert Company toured New Zealand giving performances in all the main centrqs. This gave an ihcreased interbst to ballet and proved beyond doubt that neither a foreign name nor lipeage was neeessqry tq an inspired pqrtrajfg-l of the' ' chqrepgr§phy of Fokine and Massine. In Februar-y, 1945, a number pf

young dancers attending the Net-tleton-Edwards School of Dancing in Auckland formed a small ballet club. Its members met once a week to listen to ballet music and to study clances from the classical ballets. Enthusiasm and the example of the Borovansky Ballet led to the idea of a public performance. The idea turned to reality and for two nights the Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber was filled. The reception the ballet received from the public and the Press was most enthusiastic. Since its first appearance the Repertory Ballet Theatre has gope on to make ballet history in the Dominion. In the past visits of ' overseas ballets t have been conr. fined to the larger centres.. Tlie Repertory Ballet Theatre, besides, being New Zealand's first ballet' company, is also the first to visit the small towns and country areas. It is due to the enfchusr, iasm of this small group of young peop'e that one of the mqst en^ joyahle and cultured forms of art has been brought to areas fi-pm the large cities. Thg- aqm4 pany comes to Levin tbmorrow night. Following a' similar 'develop^ ment in Englandt therq fi^a beep the formation of a Natiqnal Ballet in Australia and South Africa. There is every prospect that a parallel growth in this country would receiye enthusiastic pqbliq support. It is certain that qnly the 'establishment of a permah'ebf ballet company in NeW Zealand will be the only method of"pr§T ventipg the b.est of the Dominior\?s dancers, from traveiling overseaq. It would also entice those who have alread.y gone tq return tp New Zealap.d's &hpres to parry the work they lpve and display their artistry to an appreciatiye country.