Austrian Dancer Talks Of Ballet As Career

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30897, 2 November 1965, Page 20

Austrian Dancer Talks Of Ballet As Career

The young Austrian ballet dancer Karl Musil is convinced that ballet is the career for anyone with an eye for pretty girls. “I can promise anyone who wants to be a male dancer that he would get a lot of chances,” he said yesterday, casting an approving eye over the three beautiful young ballerinas sitting with him in the lounge at Christchurch Airport. “In every company there are lots more girls than men, and you are wanted from every quarter.” But further conversation I revealed that Mr Musil is very serious about his vocation. He has no time for any other interests, and has completely given up soccer and basketball, which he used to enjoy particularly. “Everything I do must be connected with dancing,” he said. “When I am not dancing I study music or 1 attend acting school or music school. I must do only what is good for my profession. "For relaxation I like to go somewhere quiet and sit down and listen to music or read books. My favourite relaxation would be to be at home.” Mr Musil, who is 25, is not married, but would like to be. “I nearly married in 1962,” he said, "but at the moment marriage would hold me back. I would have to be sure of earning enough

money to support my wife and family, but as a single man I can choose interesting work, even if it does not pay well. I hope to get married in perhaps four years.” Birthday Tomorrow It will be his birthday tomorrow, and he hopes to be able to arrange a party for the ballet company. Apart from the girls, Mr Musil likes ballet because it keeps him fit and because he enjoys leaping about the stage. “It's an elegant feeling.” he said. “Dancing is very special for the male dancer. You feel freedom in the air—like Icarus, you try to fly.” Mr Musil is 6ft 2in, and can vault his own height. He said that since the hevday of the famous Nijinsky the role of the male dancer had become of equal importance to that of the ballerina.

Mr Musil said he had a very good position with the Vienna State Opera Ballet Company, and would be retiring on a good pension. “But I could not stop dancing.” he said. “1 would like to teach and perhaps do some choreography I would like to help ballet become more important in Austria, and lift it up to a position of equal importance to the opera."

Mr Musil is one of four cuest dancers with the New Zealand Ballet, appearing at the Theatre Royal from this evening to November 6.