DANCING STUDIES IN LONDON DESCRIBED BY MISS JEAN BALLANTYNE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 59, 25 March 1937, Page 13

DANCING STUDIES IN LONDON DESCRIBED BY MISS JEAN BALLANTYNE

Much very interesting news of her travels abroad is to be h'eard from Miss Jean Ballantyne, who returned to her home in Hastings last week aftor an absence of almost 12 months. Aa Miss Ballantyne 5s trip was to enable her to further her dancing studies in London her work kept her exceptionally busy throughout her stav. So many travellers tell of the sightseeing part of their holiday when they return that it is most interesting to hear more about Mise Ballantyne 's work and to hear about her lessons with many famous teachers who in the past for many people have been just naraes figuring in the papers. Before leaving London Miss Ballantyne passed two examinations in dancing and when interviewed she eaid that the most important of these was the General Teachers examination of the Imperial Society. "For this examination I studied with Miss Dorothy Chaplin in London,5' said Miss Ballantyne, "and the examination comprises seven branches of dancing, ballet, Greek, tap, ballroom, national, eliaracter and mime. A ballet examination of the British Ballet Association was also passed by Miss Ballantyne, who later admitted that 6ho gained full marks for national dancing in both examinations. "The British Ballet Association is run by the famous Espinosa, and it was most interesting to go with Miss Chaplin to wateh him teach, Miss Chaplin having worked 'with him for many years," Baid Miss Ballantyne. "The Zelda Raye Studio for tap dancing, at whieh I studied, is an American studio attended by people of all natkraalities and is the most efficient place one could imagine. Three nights a TO«ftk T a.tt.ended .Tosenhine Rr&dlev's

Studio for ballroom .dancing, at which nearly all the dancers are professionals, and later I was very thrilled to teach some ballroom dancing for Miss Chaplin. "Anny Fligg, a German teacher with whom 1 studied mociern dancing in London, was ivery kind to me when I went over to Berlin with Irene Vera Young, of Sydney. She took me to see the ballet-master of the Berlin State Opera Houae training his ballet. While in Berlip, every night for two weeks I went to the International Festival of dancing connected with the Olympic Games. Sixteen countries were represented at the festival and each presented its best solo dance and group as well as its national dance. The costumea worn in these were indeseribably beautiful, especially those worn by the Austrian and Hungarian representative«. "I finished up in Germany by afctending the lasfc three days of Mary 'Wigman's sximmer school." Miss Ballantyne also attended the Jops-Lieder school for modern dancing at Partington Hall, Totnes, Devonshire, for a month, go it is easy to eee that she seized every available opportunity to fnrther her study.

When asked about mterestmg performances which ehe saw, Miss Ballantyne told.about a children 5s matinee by the pupilg of Miss Vacani, who teaches Princess Elizabeth and Prineess Margaret Eose and, thongh they were not allowed to take part in the matinee, nearly all the -children who did were titled. "As I decided to go to the matinee only at the last minute I had tp go in the gallery and even that cost 10/6. The prograxnme was 2/6 and the whple front cover was composed of liste of titled people under whose.patronage the studio was, while the programme sellers wero girls whose photographs appear in the fashjonable English papers. I was delighte.d to find that the children in $Tew Zealand come up to the standard of English children who have the same amount of teaching, though excellent work i« done by many English children who have private lessons for examinations. "Among other performances I saw were ' What Becomes of The Fairies 5 by Ihe Gracie Cone School, and 'Peter Pan, 5 with Elsa Lanchester as Peter Pan and Charles Laughton as Captain Hook," addpd Miss Ballantyne. "This v/a/3 given at the Paladium. Theatre and was absolutely beautiful. I was especially interested in 'Where the Rainbow Ends,5 as this was put on by Italia Corti, who was the first person to bring Noel Coward to the forq as he started in oue of her shows at the age of abcmt eight. "The Imperial Society 'a 'All-Star dancing matinee was a f east of dancing at whj.ch the leading teachers of the society each gave an item from their school, At this matinee I saw the leading ballroom dancers of the world, .losepbine Bradley and Frank Ford, Mr and Mrs Vietor Silvester, Charles Scrimshaw and Phyllis Haylor, Alix Moore and Pat Kilpatriek, Each pair did a solo dance followed by the elowfoxtrot and waltz in formation— -a most perfect exhibition, "And of course I went to performances -of the Russian ballet'— -at the Alhambra under the supemeion of Miehael Fokine, at Covent Garden— Colonel de' Easil's Ballet Eusse-— at Sadler'a Wells, under the direction of Ninette de Valois. "And now," said Miss Ballantyne, "I'm looking forward to much really hard work before X ean save up enoug.; to go to England again,"