HIGH KICKS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 3 August 1929, Page 7

HIGH KICKS

PULLED GIRL’S LEG LONDON, 26th July. Loosening up exercises for a London revue, proved -a.painful -procedure foi Vera Wilson, a young actress, and an expensive one for Max Rivers, dancing school proprietor. When Miss Wilson’s leg was stretched' during high-kicking practice, ligaments were torn. Her claim for damages succeeded. “Stop,” shouted the girl, when Bert Graham, who is instructor for Max Rivers, proprietor of.an Oxford Street dancing school, forcibly railed her leg, with one hand on lieu heel, ,and the other behind her knee, causing her intense pain. The incident occurred during loosen-ing-up exercises, to fit her for high-kick-ing in a dance* number which River? wrote for her appearance in revue. Graham, according to Miss Wilson’s evidence, in Bench., Divisiop, supporting her claim for dsftiages against Rivers, jerked her leg further. She felt the ligaments tearing behind the ,knee, and releasing jheyself ,from a- waist-high bar behind lierj-wliich she* -gripped during the exercise, slip, lay down on the floor, while Graham tried another move incut in the leg, in order to rectify thc damage. “ •. Wilson said she’attempted, to resume the exercise, but collapsed. Graham denied having used force, and said that Wilson had agreed to the exer cise. It was not- his fault. The seque. was her absence from thc stage for some months. Previously only girls had stretched her leg. Evidence was given for the defence, that Rivers had • .trained 30GO dancers, including comedy stars. This instance ot injury was unique.