Maori Ballet Dancer Wins Through
A young Maori ballet dancer seems destined for success at England’s Royal Ballet School after being denied Arts Council funds for entry into New Zealand’ National Ballet School. The Council refused to fund Alfred Williams, 15, of Wellington on the grounds
that it preferred aid for postgraduate students. An appeal on Alfred’s behalf by Upper Hutt residents has helped pay the high fees required by the prestigious English ballet school.
But high fees and a seemingly unsympathetic Arts Council have not been
Alfred's only obstacles. To conceal his yen to dance from his Auckland schoolmates Alfred took up karate lessons instead. If he had remained in New Zealand Alfred would have had until this year before being considered for entry to New Zealand’s ballet school as it cannot take pupils under school-leaving age. Instead, Alfred left at 13 on the advice of prima ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn, who saw him dance in Wellington.
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Bibliographic details
Mana (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 12, 25 December 1977, Page 2
Word Count
158Maori Ballet Dancer Wins Through Mana (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 12, 25 December 1977, Page 2
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