DANCE RECITAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3174, 27 August 1917, Page 3

DANCE RECITAL

IN AID OF RED CROSS FUNDS

A SPLENDID PROGRAMME

To be a member of the great auclioneo that assembled in the Opera House oil Saturday 'evening for Miss Estelle Beere's dance recital was to enjoy an artistic and exceedingly reined entertainment. The recital probably made a mueli more agreeably impression than most professional work could have done. The performers were all youthful; tlioy displayed tlie graces peculiar to youth; and tlieir success wa6 the success to which enthusiasm aud "art for art's sake" chiefly contribute. The programme covered a wide range of dancing. There were story dances—exquisite little fantasies and romances instinct with the spirit of legendary and fairy lore; there were dances in the style of centuries ago, and dances in the style of many nations; and there were somo that stole their sweetness from tlie flowers, their brilliance from the butterfly aiul their grace from the motions of the swan, 'i'he opening number was "Cupid's Garden," a delicate fancy charmingly expressed. The rising sun woke the flowers in the garden, and they lifted up their heads to greet the dawn. Then fairy elves, coming to play in the sunlight, saw tho flowers and loved them, but the coy little blossoms turned away. The elves were dejected and sad, but Cupid (Miss Zelda Bailey) pierced the hearts of the'Uowers, and the fairies' lovo was returned. An equally beautiful number was "A Romance of tho Forest," telling how Pan, the merry woodland god, drew spirits and children to him with the music of his pipes; how an evil sprite, leading his cruel train, fell suddenly upon a (little one and slew her; and how tho god, seeing her lie there dead, played such sweet notes in her tiny car that ho charmed her back to life. The romance was excellently presented. Sir. Ronald Orichton appeared as the nimble Pan, Miss Iris Montgomery as the wicked fairy, and Miss Joan Beere as the littlo forest maiden whom the g<d restoivd. A troupe of dainty little dancers, appropriately garbed, filled the minor roles of nymphs and children. Numbers of Miss beere's younger pupils appeared together in "Butterlly Ball," "ICewpie's Wedding," and an ensemblo in which three characteristic Slav dances were given. "Kewpie's Wedding" was a quaiut little skit upon a popular craze. It was, of course, dependent for its success chiefly upon the costuming, which had been carried out with a rare degree of skill. "Lcs Harlequins" was a lively performance by Misses Lambert, Goodsou, Dannelly, Mnrmont ICnowsley, Connop (two), and Hanning, who, masked, and arrayed in costumes of bizarre design, trod the measures of the dance with elegance and grace. Miss Gyneth Kirk and Mr. Ronald Cricliton danced "Les Pierrots Joyeux" with verve and abandon, and Misses Betty Menard and Olga Lockwood appeared in a delightful idyll "The Rose and tho Butterfly." Little Joan Beere and Florence Heyworthe together danced "La Gavotte," a grave and quiet measure after tho- old fashion, and, in pretty contrast with this, performed "Coquine Coquine,' a roguish little sketch. A perfect gem was Miss Hcyworthe's "flying which earned her an insistent recall, lnss Beere gave a song, an Irish jiff, and a delicaite "Miniature do Ballet.' 'The Spirit „of the Dance," "The Gipsy Beggar," and a Russian number afforded Private Thomas O'Carroll opportunities for a splendid exhibition. He is a dancer who combines force and virility witli an altogether remarkable degree of poise and grace. His "Gipsv Beggar" thrilled the house with its wild, defiant energy, wlu;e his "Spirit of the Dance" charmed and fascinated with its perfect beauty. Miss Margaret Turnbull, in the character of a Spanish Girl, sang "Carmenzita" and danced well. Miss Eileene Myers was very successful in her symbolical dance "The Broken Melody," which was really a'fine piece of delicate suggestion. A soothing "Mouvement de Valse" was the contribution of Miss Eileen Lambert, who looked very attractive in emerald green and black. Miss Thurza Rogers was responsible for a "Dansc Characteristiqno" and an extremely dainty tip-toe dance. Other solo dancers were Miss Rene Taylor, who gave a "Air-dc-Ballet" and a Highland iling, and Miss Zelda Bailey,, who rendered "Tho Lancashire Lass" fsong and danceV In the courso of the evening, Mr. Hugene Ossipoff delighted the audience with "Toreador" and two Russian folk-songs, and little Miss Mavis King, arrayed in tatters, sang "Only a Penny" with good results. A feature of the entertainment as a whole wa ; j the beautiful costuming of all 'the performers, and the consummate skill with which everything had been arranged. Tho music was supplied by t*he Bloy trio. To-night the programme, the proceeds of which are to go to the Red Cross Funds, will bo repeated.