Ballet Festival’s High Standard

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30879, 12 October 1965, Page 7

Ballet Festival’s High Standard

The Christchurch Ballet Society’s Festival of Ballet, presented in the Civic Theatre on Saturday night, was a marathon achievement both for the society and for the ehorographers, Lorraine Peters, Nina Kalnins and Gladys Bushell. During the evening more than 100 performers were seen in varied and carefully prepared dancing. Elaborate customes (designed by society members and made in most cases by the mothers of the dancers) and settings (by Mr J. L. Fairweather) added polish to the presentation, but the most impressive feature was the really high standard of dancing Much talent was revealed, and many of the dancers will almost certainly move on to greater achievements. The programme opened with “La Boutique Fantasque,” a large-scale presentation, full of gay colour. The divertissements were delightful: Yvette Palmer, Carol Cornwall, Vivien Daley and Diane Inglis all showed particular ability. “Spectrum” was almost too colourful: the harshness of the colours distracted the eye from the pattern of the choreography. However, the black and white of the soloists, was more effective against this blaze of colour. Lee-Ann McMenamin danced with light ness and grace, while Lynda Emerson performed some spectacular leaps and was ably supported by Ewen Tonkin.

| There was some impressive ■work from both corps de ballet , and soloists in “Kaleidoscope.” Barbara Kissel danced the pas \de deux most pleasingly. The interpretation of music was demonstrated in “Ballade.” The music is Chopin’s | and the choregraphy, by Trina | Kalnins, was the best of the evening. Petrea Neveldson was a soloist in this number and I revealed considerable talent, ■which was further displayed in “Polish Harvest Festival” (the final work of the evening. This was another gay and [colourful ballet, and Miss iNeveldson's dancing in the Mazurka was delightful. I “Polish Harvest Festival” I was preceded by “Ballet Classique” which was charmlingly performed by some of [the younger dancers. [ The principal male dancer, [ Brian North, had a busy evening. He appeared in five of the six numbers but showed as much verve at the end of the evening as at the beginning. This young dancer has considerable ability and he gave his best performance in “Kaleidoscope,” when he executed some creditable leaps. This ambitious programme with such a large number of participants demanded some first-class work in the wings. [Mr Eric Craighead and his assistants are to be congratuI lated on putting on a show I that ran without a hitch. Congratulations, too, to the teachers of these young danjeers: it was plain that discii pline extended over all facets of the festival. This consistently entertaining programme deserved a larger audience than it had for the single evening performance. The Ballet Society must be commended on a production that, by any amateur standards, was first rate. —P.S.