ROYAL ACADEMY EXAMINER

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14710, 30 June 1948, Page 3

ROYAL ACADEMY EXAMINER

VISIT OF MISS RUTH

FRENCH

DANCED IN, ROYAL COMMAND PERMORMANCES

“During the past eight weeks I have travelled through the South Island, and part of the North, examining pupils at various centres and I have seen a number of promising dancers, said Miss Ruth French, an examiner of the Royal Academy of Dancing, London, who is conducting examinations in Tauranga. Miss French, who is spending three months in New Zealand in the course of a tirp around the world, received her training under Nicolas Legat, Michael Fokine, Serge Morosoff and Ivan Clustine. She . was chosen as premiere dancer by Madame Anna Pavlova for her company’s season in South America 1928, and has also been premiere dancer at the London Hippodrome. She has had the honour of aopearing at two Royal Command performances. Miss French is coauthor, with Mr Felix Deanery, of the text books “First Steps” and “Intermediate Steps.”

This year is the first time that major examinations (which are conducted every second year) have been held in Tauranga, she said, pupils previously having had to travel to Auckland tn be examined for their diplomas. These arc also the first examinations in Ballet end Education, a new syllabus for childran’s examinations which is commencing in this country and England this year. “A Royal Academy Scholarship is competed for evew twd vears,” she exnlained, “and this enables keen students to visit England and study —perhaps afterwards to join a ballet company. So far the New Zealand winners have been Rowena Jackson, Alexander • Grant and Yvonne Cartier. Miss French who examined pupils in Tauranga on Monday and Tuesday will continue her work in Hamilton, and from there go to Auckland, '' where, after further examinations she will leave for Australia. _____