ART OF PAVLOVA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 31, 7 February 1939, Page 11

ART OF PAVLOVA.

WIDOWER IN CITY. WORLD BALLET AUTHORITY. i ■ a ONE OF GREATEST ARTS." A world authority on the ballet and widower of the incomparable Madame Anna Pavlova, Mr. V. Dandre, chairman of tlic Covent fiarden Ballet Company, arrived at Auckland yesterday. Mr. Dandre hfi*. l>cen a«*ociat>-d with the ballet fur over 30 years and was in Xew Zealand 12 years ago with Pavlova. "Madams Pavlova was unique not only for her art, but for her personality," said Mr. Dandre. "She was always angry when the public spoke of the bill let a« amusement. Certainly it could bo that, but it is more. It has a artistic standard and is an education ki grace and beauty of movement." Un L lie» eighth anniversary of the death of Madame l'avlova on January a memorial service was held in the Orthodox Church at Sydney, and was attended by all the members of the ballet and members of the Russian community. Mr. Dandre Maid that during the past •even years there had been an enormous increase in interest in the ballet, especially in England, and the United States—in fact, in all the Englishspeaking countries. While there had been a tendency since the war for sonic branches of the theatre to decline owing to the encroachment of the cinema, the ballet had been steadily growing along artistic lines. Furthermore, in tho troublous timet in which the world was living, people were finding that tho ballet not onl> gave pleasure and artistic interest, but also mental relaxation. An attempt hat

been made to put the ballet on the screen, but it was difficult to get good result*. It had been possible to harmonise music and movement of a few dancers, but in concerted numbers it had not been a success. It was unlikely that a full ballet would ever bo eeen on the screen. Mr. Dandre said that he had married Madame Pavlova in 1910, in which year she had paid her first triumphal visit to England. In 1020 he accompanied his wife on her tour of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and this was his first return to these shores. He was looking forward to the experience with pleasure, remembering the joys of the previous visit. He had not been in Russia since 1014. The ballet, ho said, was still taught at the former imperial school in St. Petersburg. An attempt had been mado to introduce propaganda Into the movements and music, but this had failed and the ballet had gone back to the old numbers which had evolved throughout the centuries. Mr. Michel Fokine, who was in Auckland at the present time and was the greatest ballet master of modern times, had started bis carcer in the Imperial Ballet. He wts introducing new tendencies, but these were evolutionary and by no means revolutionary.

"It is true to-day that the ballet is better than in pre-war Russia," said Mr. Dandre. "The technique baa improved vastly under greatly changed training method*. During my long association with the ballet in many part* of the World I have tried to protect it from banality and modern influences. It is en* of the greatest arts and must be presented untouched. It must not be made 'cheap' to catch the plaudits of the crowd. It is a high-grade art and must not be dragged in the gutter."