Ballet increasingly popular

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 5

Ballet increasingly popular

Ballet is more popular than ever in New Zealand and standards are constantly improving, says Miss Pauline Tronson, a tutor at this summer’s dance school held at Lincoln College. The school is run by the Christchurch Ballet Society, and offers classes in classical, repertoire, character, modern, Highland and national step dancing. A

This year’s school, the society’s thirteenth, has about 230 students. They come from throughout the South Island and Wellington, and 160 of them are staying on the Lincoln College campus during the week-long programme. One of the several tutors is Miss Tronson, who has danced as principal dancer with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, *won

numerous awards, and is now a freelance teacher, adjudicator, choreographer and dancer.

Miss Tronson believes students benefit a lot from summer schools as the classes are concentrated, and the young dancers work a lot harder than usual.

“They respond to the concentrated teaching, and the' different people and environment,” she

said. Standards of dance were improving all the time as teadhers were more “clued up,” and there were more courses for dancers to do.

The increasing use of videos was also important as it helped students visualise what looked right, she said.

Organisers say the school is running even

more smoothly than other years, as nearly all the classes are held on the campus.

Previously some of the students have had to be taken in vans to other locations with suitable flooring. This year, however, the society has bought special flooring which can be put down on carpet or concrete, and is ideal for dancing. >