Ten years of promoting ballet

Press, 7 August 1985, Page 18

Ten years of promoting ballet

The Southern Ballet Theatre’s tenth anniversary season will combine the classic and the modern. The theatre’s artistic director, Mr Russell Kerr, has coupled “The Snow Maiden” with a new work by Jamie Bull, “Quipu-An-dean Images,” for the four day run at the Theatre Royal in September. The choice reflects the mix the theatre has successfully presented in the last 10 years. Russell Kerr says the two ballets will complement each other. He is delighted to have two former company members return as guest artists for the anniversary season. The two dancers, now dancing main roles in the Australian Ballet, are Fiona Tonkin and Glenn Harris. They will dance the leads in “The Snow Maiden,” choreographed by Mr Kerr. Fiona Tonkin recently made her debut in “Sleeping Beauty” in Brisbane. Later in the Australian Ballet’s national tour she was partnered by Glenn Harris as Prince Albrecht in “Giselle.” Singapore-born, Fiona Tonkin came to New Zealand as a child and began her ballet training with Lor-

raine Peters. She joined Southern Ballet at 15 and danced many leading roles. At 18 she joined the New Zealand Ballet and danced in solo roles. She joined the Australian Ballet in 1980 and has toured China with the company. Glenn Harris first studied ballet with Russell Kerr and danced with the Southern Ballet Theatre before joining the Australian Ballet School. He graduated in 1981. Last year he was promoted to the rank of coryphee in the Australian Ballet. Russell Kerr believes the Southern Ballet has done much in the last 10 years to build up a ballet audience. The Southern Ballet was formed to promote ballet in the South Island and Mr Kerr sees its role as one of “redefining the word ballet” to South Islanders. He would like to see a full-time company of eight dancer dancers, who could be offered a living wage. At present 10 dancers are with the company full-time under a P.E.P. scheme. The other full-time dancer is Mr Kerr’s assistant David Peake. An application is before the Queen Elizabeth II Arts

Council for funds to help make the eight dancer company a reality. Russel] Kerr will not say how much the company has asked for but estimates it would take $BO,OOO a year to keep such a company going. The company for the anniversary season has been expanded to include the regular part-time dancers and others, about 30 in all. The present programme of touring, performance and performers in schools takes

about ?180,000 to run each year. Funds for the company come from its Near New Boutique, the Southern Ballet Foundation, members, box office receipts, sponsorship, and arts councils grants. Only one of the four principals in the founding of the company is still actively involved. David Peake was one of two leading dancers — the other was Gillian Francis — in the original company formed by Lorraine Peters and George Williams. Russell Kerr has been the driving force behind the company since 1979. A former director of the national ballet company and the New Zealand Dance Centre, Mr Kerr believes the Southern Ballet should be a supplement rather than competition to the national company. He will guide the company for another four years before he retires. He plans to fit stints as a guest director with the company into that retirement. The anniversary season will run from September 11 to 14.