200 Folk Dancers In Hagley Park

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29760, 1 March 1962, Page 2

200 Folk Dancers In Hagley Park

Songs and dances from more than a dozen different countries throughout the world were presented by nearly 200 performers of all ages at the fifth annual national costume dancing display in North Hagley Park last evening.

In spite of cool, windy conditions an estimated 600 to 700 persons watched the display from vantage points around the large grassy “stage” roped off for the occasion.

Held each year to enable the public of Christchurch to see performances by as many as possible of the folk dancing groups in the city, the display was held as part of the current Festival Week.

Beginning just before sunset wito the arrival of the City of Christchurch Highland Pipe Band, which had marched to toe park from Oxford terrace, the display was officially opened by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G. Manning). Mrs Manning, and toe Festival Queen (Miss Patricia Olifield). All spoke briefly. Accompanied by music relayed by loudspeaker, toe 13 local folk dance groups performing presented a variety of colourful items in traditional costumes. These ranged from the exuberant verve of traditional Scots, Irish. Austrian and Spanish dancing to the slow, graceful movements of an old twelfth century Italian tarantella. As a distinct contrast, a group of Maori entertainers closed the programme. Groups taking part in test evening's programme included the Whirlaway Square Dance Group, the Christchurch Irish National Society,

folk dance groups from St. Margaret’s College and the Cashmere High School, the Dante Alighieri Society, the Club Espanol, the Christchurch West High School exPupils’ Gymnastic Club, the Valerian Chorale (a group of Dutch male singers), the combined Scottish country dance clubs (the Scottish Society, the Caledonian Society, toe Spreydon Reel and Strathspey Club, and the Christchurch Scottish Country Dance Club), and the Te Whetu Ariki-o-Kahukura group of the Catholic Academy of Maori Culture. The compere was Mr Colin Campbell.