STUDYING IN PARIS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 34, 3 November 1934, Page 17

STUDYING IN PARIS

Young New Zealand Dancer

Miss Meg Williams, who has been studying dancing in Paris for the last three years, returned to her home, Frimley, Hastings, just in time to help at the Plunket fete which took place there on Thursday afternoon. The elder daughter of the late r - all( l Jlrs - Edric Williams, she and her sister Christina are the wards of their aunt. Miss Elsie Williams. She reached her twenty-first year in August last, and has come out for a two months’ visit, and will return after Christmas to go on with her studies and fullfil professional engagements. She was a dainty little figure in a perfectly cut frock of coarsely woven linen in clear plumbago blue, shortsleeved and cowl necked, with a widebrimmed white hat falling very much to one side over the right shoulder. Greetings were showered on her ajl the afternoon by old family friends, relations, and former school-mates. To a “Dominion” reporter she talked, for a while, of her work. “I adore every minute of it,” she declared. “It’s my whole life. "When I went to Paris first I began by studying for the stage, but my Russian dancing master advised me to give up everything else arid concentrate on a three and a half years 1 course of that: which I did. A year later I began singing-lessons, from a Belgian who has been a great singer, and is now retired and a famous teacher. My voice is soprano, and 1 have studied

only for musical comedy •• and light opera; all in French, of course. You see I’ve hardly spoken English for three years.” Miss Williams took the part of Veronlque in the opera of that name at Madame’s annual pupils’ concert at the Salle Pleyel this year, which was open to the public, and to which “a lot of people came.” She also danced a solo polka at one of the open air performances organised by the Artists’ Association in the Tuileries Gardens. “It was a seventeenth century dance,, all toe work, and its rehearsal entailed some grim moments with the orchestra, whom I had to instruct myself. They got all excited and worked up—they do in France—but we got on all right in the end.” Asked about the details of her training:—“It’s terribly hard work,” she said. “Classes begin at 9.30 in the morning. There are two hours’ exercises—bar work and so on—and you go straight on to dance rehearsal while you’re ready for it. You’re given no time for a rest; can’t even sit down, but must work on steadily till lunch time. If you’re getting ready for a performance, there are rehearsals all the afternoon, too. “Do I diet? No. I eat like six—what I like and wlien 1 like. The work is so strenuous it makes no difference. I expect I'll have to be more careful while I’m on this holiday! No cocktails. no smoking, and early to bed are the rules, year in, year out. When I began my singing lessons I had them in the mornings twice a week, and dancing in the afternoons on those days. About the only singing practice I got was at my lessons. There is French to be studied for a time every day, of course, and the days simply fly past. “I have not had any London engagement yet, though I was .practising there under my teacher for two months be fore I came away. I am under contract to him. and he arranges all engagements for me, for both dancing and film work. I never know what I am to do —except work—more than a week beforehand. I am to dance in London wlien I go back.”

Miss Williams said that she had acred in Paris as model for experiments on a very important film invention to do with relief photography, which was a most interesting experience. “My teacher has: lately gone over to London to establish himself there because conditions in Paris have been so dreadful since the riots, whereas London is becoming much "busier, aud it is expected will be the future headquarters of the Russian Ballet. London seems to be taking the lead in many ways. English materials are being used to an increasing extent by the great French dressmakers. Chanel, cotton last summer.

for instance, used heaps of English “Of course its inarvelious to be at home: but I wouldn’t like to be not going back.”

Making It Crisp. Meringue on the top'of puddings will be much crisper when browned if a little fine sugar is sifted over it just before putting it into the oven. Use as little sugar as possible to sweeten it when beating it to a froth and it will stiffen much more quickly.—J.S.R.. Otaki.