BALLET ON STAGE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29232, 16 June 1960, Page 2

BALLET ON STAGE

Value To Students

More stage productions should bo presented by ballet students and teachers in New Zealand, says Mrs Vera Lacey, visiting examiner for the British Ballet Organisation, who arrived in Christchurch last evening. “Ballet requires long training and students often get tired, especially if they are doing examination work all the time,” said Mrs Lacey. “Stage productions give them a break from examinations and give valuable experience that is quite different from the end-of-year concert presented by many teachers. “Not every teacher can do a stage production, but more should try, since it would improve their knowledge of choreography.” Mrs Lacey, who is director of the British Ballet Organisation, and the affiliated National Dancing Association, in Australia, described he ballet workshop run by the organisation in Sydney. Members are drawn from the studios of member teachers in the Sydney area. They plan and present their own ballets, and students are given the opportunity to try out their own ideas.

Competitions for costume designs are held for each production, and the drawings often put on show.

“Workshops like this could be formed in the main centres of New Zealand,” said Mrs Lacey. “Even in the smaller towns, teachers could devote more time to stage productions.” Ballet was increasing in popularity throughout the world, said Mrs Lacey. In New Zealand, the number of students taking examinations had increased from 18 to about 900 in eight years. “This is part of a great world trend,” she said. Recent ballet-films had aroused interest among children who otherwise would not be reached. In between her tight programme of examination engagements, Mrs Lacey will give some special classes to students. “It is good for the children to have a visiting teacher occasionally,” she said. “Every teacher has a different approach, and often more notice is taken of a visitor than of the regular teacher.” It was interesting to see the progress made in ballet in New Zealand, said Mrs Lacey. The numbers of students, and the standard of dancing, was steadily growing.