Spanish Dancer

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 270, 11 August 1938, Page 5

Spanish Dancer

Senorita Nati Morales

In Sydney

r po the accompaniment of music from a Spanish guitar, which recalled the spaciousness of sunlit courtyards in a Spain which knew not the wrack of war, Senorita Nati Morales and mem-’ bers of her Spanish company were entertained at afternoon tea at the Australia Hotel on her arrival at Sydney recently. “Como esta usted?” said Senorita Morales, in greeting the guests. The Spanish dancer speaks very little English; her knowledge of the language is limited to a few words and phrases. Her interpreter is her manager, Alexandre Levitoff.

Although the guitar brought memories of happier days in her country to Senorita Morales, the unexpected explosion of a photographer’s sasha light made her jujpp in terror. “Ah, bombs! Barcelonal” she exclaimed with her hands to her ears. It is only eight months since Senorita Morales left Madrid by military aeroplane for the border, en route to Paris, and she is still loath to speak of the war.

With her company, which includes Carmen Martinez. Ferrere Inglesie, and Pedro Vallribera, she has recently been in South America, and she is trying to keep hidden behind her dark eyes all thoughts of the war. She will talk—through her interpreter—of the dances of old Spain, of the tango as it is danced in Cadiz, and not in the Argentine, of her castanets, and of her 32 costumes. Some of the original costumes have been copied by a Parisian artist, F. Krantz, in clever posters made of pieces of spotted muslin, gay cottons, and fringe to show, the different dresses worn in the different dances.

The dancer has brought with her. nearly, a dozen lovely mantillas and two dozen pairs of shoes. What size shoes? ’ . ,<

A quick conv'e’rsation between M. Levitoffi and Senorita Morales brought the surprising answer of “32J” from the interpreter.

Amid laughter the dancer showed her tiny foot, about size three. Senorita Morales, now 26 years old, has been dancing since she was seven, but this is her first visit to an Englishspeaking country. “I will teach her how to speak to you,” said M. Levitoffi. “In a few weeks she will have many more words to say.