DANCE RECITAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 15, 12 October 1918, Page 5

DANCE RECITAL

MISS KSTELLB IIEERE'S PUPILS. The luro of the danco was expounded by Uio pupils of Miss Estelle Beere attracted a large audience to flic Grand Opera House last evening. For tho brief hour or two the big stage was transformed for the nonce into a dream of fair children, who coruscated prettily in the changing lights, for the most part tiny particles of Huff and flesh,' flitting.mid fluttering joyously in scant but pretty frocks in an atmosphere of pleasurable excitement. The dressing of tho little ones was an outstanding feature of the recital. ' It was evident that a great deal of thought and loving care had been lavished on the sartorial adornment of the fascinating little sprites, and it was well repaid by the charming spectacle the) presented, whether singly, in couples, or ensemble. For the most part the. dancing was of the class usually termed' "graceful"—adaptations for the young of the modern ballet dance with tip-toes flights—but variation was lent the order by incursions into the Slavonic, Dutch, and Spanish school with more-or less success. Being children, tho dancers could scarcely bo otherwise than interesting, but one -would like to see implanted in them to a greater degree than was apparent a sense of rhythm—the*soul of the dance. The frequency with which the curtain' was lowered in the first part, too, 1 broke the spell moro often than was. necessary, a fault in stage management that could be easily remedied.The first part was entitled "The Enchanted Garden"—a garden purely in the pictorial sense—consisting of dance 1 divertissements .without connecting links. Among the little ones of outstanding merit was Ilene Taylor, as "Tho Pearl of the Orient," who danced a sprightly measure with dainty verve and grace. Another clever little child was Florence Heyworth, who infused tho proper spirit into her pretty little dance. "Once upon a Time" was a gavotte (the "Gondoliers" measure) danced in Georgian costume by Beatrice' Holmes and Denice Friend without any regard to tempo. Miss Isabel Wilford, in sombre robes, posed as the stricken figuro.of grief, and Miss Doris Scott, as a Bacchante, showed athletic agility jn a tambourine dance. Holland was represented by a song and danco in the diminutive person of Joan Beere. The best of the ensemble numbers in the first part was the spirited gopak, a Russian dance, in which Thurza Rogers, Isabel Wilford, M. Winstone, Daisy Donnelly, Edna Wakelyn, S. Brandon, D. Scott, and B. Ossipoff figured. The soloists were Evadne Goodsqn and Private T. O'Carroll, both of whom managed the difficult steps of the Slavonic dance most credit-ably. Another captivating ensemble ballot was "Les Sylpides," with Thurza Rogers and Mr. T. O'Carroll as tho premier dancers, and "The Hoodoo Man" chorus and dance earned hearty applause. Dorothy Buck; tripped daintily through.a crinoli.no dance, and Olga Lockwood executed a Chinese fan dance. "Badinage" was a cleverly interpreted dancing interlude, in which Isabel Wilford, Doris Scott, and Ronald Crichton figured vivaciously. Rone Taylor; and Joan Beere were oxcellent in an American specialty dance. Zelda Bailey appeared as a miniature "spirit of tho danco"; Molly Maddon pranced prettily in an Irish jig, and Private O'Carroll twisted and twirled adroitly in a Slavonic whirl. Tho programme concluded very appropriately with a ballet to which tho god Pan piped the merry tuno for the edification of the skippng fauns. For so largo a theatre tho music provided by the Frank Johnston trio (piano, flute, and 'cello) was altogether too thin and colourless.

Tho audience included His Excellency the Governor-General and Lady Liverpool. . The net profits of last mining's entertainment go to the Red Cross fund. Tho entertainment will be repeated this evening, when thoro should be a very large audience.