Women's News & Views

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29775, 19 March 1962, Page 2

Women's News & Views

Former N.Z. Dancer Returns

With Spanish Husband

A New Zealand dancer who went to Spain to join Luisillo and his Spanish Dance Theatre, and who married a Spanish musician, is back in New Zealand with her husband. She is Nirs Antonio de Losada, daughter of Mr and Mrs Stuart Jones, of Fendalton, Christchurch.

Mrs de Losada has given up her dancing career to become her husband’s tour manager. A classical guitarist, Mr Losada will soon begin a lecture tour of New Zealand’s schools, and will give broadcasting and television performances. They hope to make a concert tour of the Dominion later in the year, before going on tour in Australia and Europe.

Mis de Losada has spent much of her life touring as a dancer. She studied classical ballet, and danced with the New Zealand Ballet Company about five years ago. Two years in Australia came next. There she did television work, appearing in the original Lola Montez production, and in Garnett Carroll’s “The Bells Are Ringing ”

After four months back in New Zealand, and a brief visit to London. Mrs de Losada went to Spain to join Luisillo's Spanish Dance Theatre. She worked in fifteen different countries while with the company— Israel, England. Ireland. South Africa, the Canary Islands, and in several Continental countries. Married in Madrid last October, her home is now a

22-roomed mansion in the heart of the city.

Among the many adjustments she had to make in her new life with Luisillo’s company was adapting t» the different hours. Mornings began at 10.30 and the late theatre session would not begin till 11 p.m. This meant dinner at 2 a.m., as dancers could not eat a heavy meal before the performance. The move last year to introduce early closing in Spain had not worked, Mrs de Losada said in Christchurch last evening. An average shop assistant, although beginning her day at 9 am. like her New Zealand counterpart, would not finish until 8 p.m., with a very long lunch hour. Many shift workers would have been inconvenienced by the proposed hours, and bars

and theatres had always been open and busy on Sundays. Mrs de Losada spoke no Spanish before she went to Spain, but has now acquired more than a working knowledge of the language. Her husband speaks little English, and she is acting as his interpreter in New Zealand. Mrs de Losada is enjoying life in her new country, and loves Spanish dancing. With Ludsillo, she danced classical Spanish dances (not Flamenco) and folklore. She has also done modern dance, and likes all forms of dancing. Her stage name in New Zealand and Australia was Cecily Santos. Asked to comment on Spanish women, Mrs de Losada said they were very domesticated, excelling in needlework, becoming more career conscious than formerly, and were fashion conscious, their fashions comparing well with world standards.

Mr de Losada is a graduate of the Royal Conserva/torium of Madrid, and was a pupil of Andre Segovia, the master of the guitar. He was twice granted a scholarship by his teacher to attend the international music course held annually at the Santiago De Compostela, in Spain.