SCHOOL FOR BALLET AT AN OLD ENGLISH HOME

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 154, 27 March 1937, Page V (Supplement)

SCHOOL FOR BALLET AT AN OLD ENGLISH HOME

When Irene Vera Young, an Australian dancer, was abroad, she spent six interesting weeks al; Darlington Hall, where the summer school was in progress. Darlington .Hall is a lovely old English home in one of the most beautiful parts of England, Totnes, in South Devon. Here an interesting experiment is being carried out. The house itself, ■which a few years ago was partly ruined, has been entirely restored, and is being run by a trust committee headed by a wealthy Englishwoman, Mrs. D. W. Elmhirst, and her husband, on a community basis.

The community, stales I lie "Sydney Morning Herald,” is practically selfcontained. There arc a farm, a sawmill, a poultry-farm, orchards, a cider house and a textile factory. All these departments are run on scientific lines, and all the workers are housed on the estate, where there are one hundred and twenty-six residential houses. Two schools have been established—an elementary and a secondary school, with a training centre for teachers. Part of (lie function of the school authorities is to provide education opportunity for adults working on the estate, and, iu conjunction with the skilled workers in each department, a programme of evening groups and classes is carried out. Many of these classes are for technical training; others are recreational. The Department of Arts is divided into three sections; dance, music and drama. With the dual purpose of providing a creative use of leisure timei for the workers ou the estate, and of affording au opportunity for the training of professional dancers under agreeable conditions, the school for dancing has been erected in the beautiful gardens. and it was to this that Miss Young went. Here she found the famous Central European dancer, Kurt Joos, with bis entire ballet rehearsing for their autumn tour of America. Also there was Unday Shankar, the famous Indian dancer and his troupe. Both these dancers and the whole personnel of their respective companies, including scene designers, musicians and stage managers, are paid by Mrs. Elmhirst. who also backs botli companies on their tours. During the summer months they J

I come down to Dartington Hall to rest I and rehearse for their new season's ! appearances, and those attending the summer school are allowed to watch them rehearsing. "These dancers are fortunate to be able to continue their work entirely free from financial worry,” said Miss Young, "but, naturally, they have to ‘deliver the goods,’ or else Mrs. Elmhirst would not continue to back them. And they are both wonderful dancers, and arc doing great work. I hope that it will not. be long before Australia sees their work, and I know that Kurt Joos is planning to visit here within the next two years. "His ballet belongs to the Central European School, and has been successful in Paris, where their first presentation. "Tlie Green Table’ was given. "From watching the rehearsals, I think that; ’The Big City’ is Joos’ best ballet. Though England has not. yet accepted the Central European ballet, there is no quarrel between the two schools in Germany. The best has been taken from both to form the 'Now Dance,’ and in Berlin, at the State Opera House, I saw a Central European ballet, perform an entire opera, ‘La Barberina.’ with complete success. Certainly, if Kurt Joos succeeds in making the world conscious of the Central European ballet, -which, I believe, he will in time, great thanks wijl be due to the Elmhirsts for their faith and support.”

During the International Dance Festival in Berlin, Miss Young’s name headed the programme on one occasion. and she did six numbers. For "Prison,” one of Tier numbers, she had to take three calls.