RUSSIAN BALLET SCHOOL FOR DANCERS

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 25, 2 December 1938, Unnumbered Page

RUSSIAN BALLET SCHOOL FOR DANCERS

AMOUS Covent Garden Russian Ballet, now in Australia and due to visit New Zealand next year, brings a unique benefit to the Southern Hemisphere. News comes to the ‘‘Reeord’’ that, for two months during the season of the ballet’s visit to Sydney, Australia will have a school of ballet equal to the great schools of Europe and America. Anton Dolin, principal male dancer to the ballet, will open

a studio of Choreographie Art, beginning about December 1, during the ballet’s stay in Sydney. Through Dolin, a principal dancer of Diaghileff Ballet days and a pupil of great teachers 1ike Astafieva, Legat, Cecchetti and Nijinska, Australian dancers will have direct contact with the great tradition of ballet which has descended through the dancers of the famous

Marinsky Theatre and the Russian Imperial Ballet. The present intention is that Anton Dolin should come to Australia each year for at least two months, He will supervise the work of the school and of the teachers, who are to be brought from Europe. Dolin, beside being the principal male dancer of the Covent Garden Russian Ballet, is an executive member of the Royal Academy of Dancing, London. For Diaghileff he danced every ballet in the classical repertoire and ereated the majority of the roles between 1925-1929, Dolin is the first Englishman to danee principal roles with Diaghileff. Aim of the studio is not merely to offer a maximum number of lessons (four per week), but it will embrace lectures by eminent overseas authorities on the ballet and choreographie art. Apart from group tuition, private individual lessons will (Continued right hand col.)

also be given as well as lessons in the arranging and staging of solo and group numbers. School will be under the business direction of M. Alexander Levitoff in association with Mr. Arthur J, Tait, and it is the

oy’ -> intention of the directorate to make it the foundation of a permanent school of ballet and choreographic art in Australia. A limited number of students from the various States and from New Zealand will be accepted. Applications for _admittanee, and inquiries rela- . tive to the school, will be received at 233 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, and should be addressed to ‘*The Studio of -Choreographie Art.’’ .

Covent Garden Russian Ballet Company, now in Australia, is due to visit New Zealand early next year. Company has many famous names among its ensemble, best known being Anton Dolin, principal male dancer, an Englishman by birth, and the 19-year-old prima ballerina Irina Baranova.