N.Z. BALLET COMPANY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30259, 11 October 1963, Page 2

N.Z. BALLET COMPANY

Busy Schedule In City

The New Zealand Ballet will be based in Christchurch from October 14 to October 26 combining a rehearsal period with performances to school children and a public demonstration. While in Christchurch the company will travel to Kaikoura and Rangiora for public and school presentations. At a special performance for the public at the Theatre Royal next Thursday evening, the artistic director (Mr Russell Kerr) will . speak about the future of the company and present the new works “Form" and “Form Free,” for which he has done the choreography to music by Prokofiev. Pas de deux from “Coppell a” and “Esmeralda,” as well as Act II from “The Nutcracker” will be included in the programme. ‘The Nutcracker” will also be done at six sessions for school children in Christchurch next week. Capacity Houses By the end of its sevenweek tour of the South Island, which opened in Blenheim last month, the company will have appeared in 18 towns and cities. In most it has had near-full or capacity houses. In a talented company of dancers, leads are taken by Jon Trimmer, who made solo appearances with the Australian Ballet on its recent tour of the North Island, Rosemary Johnston, Arthur Turnbull, Georgene Walker, and Patricia O’Connor. Mr Kerr will hold a class for local dancers while the company is in Christchurch.

Coen, population 77, is having a tourist boom. Recently, five interstate vehicles were seen in the main (practically the only) street of this hamlet in far northern Queensland.