DANCE RECITAL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 147, 23 June 1924, Page 3

DANCE RECITAL

MISS ESTELLE BEERE'S PUPILS.

There is-muck colour~and-movemenfc in the dance recital given before large housesafternoon and evening at the Grand-Opera House on Saturday, and to be repeated this evening by pupils of Miss-Beere. Each year Miss Beere presents a programme of unusual merit and this year's exhibition is bright and clever from beginnirig to end. The colour schemes are in exquisite ..taste, .the, grouping, most effective, and the scenes almost • of pantomimic-brilliance. -.The1, opening; scena'JS the.Biltteffly/ Ball, in which-numerous dainty fairies, pixies, and butterflies' scintillate. Joyce •• Oliver, as a silver sprite, does a solo dance gracefully' and Phyllis Oliver executes .a charming bird dance in costume. The fairies revel, while dear little tots with gauze wings perch comfortably on mushrooms. There is a ballet of■ elves, gnomes, and flowers, including a 'colourful. Red Poppy item. Betty Kimbell as a dragon fly dances with* vim and'grace,', and NoTl, ;Bosher, as a crystal butterfly, ushers in a dainty snowdrop and primrose ballet, the solo dance, by Adrienne Beere being exceptionally well done. Ethel Barker, as a' radiant butterfly, Molly Cooke as a lilac fairy, the Elfin Ballet, Aromea Searle as-a brilliant butterfly, Valmai Kelly in flame butterfly frock, and Peggy Welch"in a solo dance are all deserving of praise for their finished work. Led by Joyce Nathan and Betty Heading, the whole company -perform a Viennese valse and a Spanish schottisctie with evident enjoyment to themselves. In a series of dance numbers that follow, turns of outstanding merit are included, notably the Irish jig and Chicago, by two tiny tots, Josey Berti and-'Stanley Eea; they dance expertly and the intricacies of the Chicago in no wise worry them. The simultaneous- waltz clog of Florence Heyworth and Reg. Buchanan is another item, performed with skill. A Russian folk dance by Margaret Salmond is a feature too, and the' Dutch dance o£ Sybil Hunter is artistic'and in excellent rhythm. Sheila and Barbara Coates, in dainty costumes, are seen in a graceful Dresden china minuet, and a sea scene follows, in which the water babies frolic, a seaweed ballet groups itself gracefully, and a dainty coral (Sheila Hannah) lures from, her pearly shell a satiny sprite of the sea, Susanne Williams, who dances with freedom and happiness. An original-mime-play, "lia Poupee Fecrique,", reveals some really clever dancing by Miss Joan Beers and Mr. Jack Morris. As La :Poupee, Miss Beere is at once coquettish and fairylike in all her movements. In association with.Mr. Morris (who bids fair to go.far as a male dancer) the.pair perform some clever acrobatic and simultaneous dancing. Pierrot' is ably played by Mr. Reg Buchanan. There is a dear little white rabbit (Peggy Welch), playful bunnies-d isport themselves, and dolls and toy soldiers and soldiers of the guard perform a number of really clever evolutions with military precision and efficiency. An Eastern sceua from the Arabian Nights follows. .in a wealth ~of .Eastern colour. Haroun Al Raschid (Miss Hilda Kirkley) is lured by the charms of Lolita,/and the iatter's dance is interpreted by Miss Gwyneth Thomsen. Trixie Luke is seen in a Kay dance, followed by mi- ary steps that reveal her expertness. . Beryl Hunter and Joyce Keviers. with Tom and Will Colline, could infuse- more warmth into their jazz number; the dying swan dance of. Florence Heyworih was excellently done, and Pat Smith's .Joie. de :A 7ivre is a. charming number. A Spanish c'abhuca is danced" by a number of'the older pupils, with Millicont Harris as Tambourina. Little Phyllis Oliver, as a Jack-in-the-Box, lives up to her reputation for pantomimicwork, and Jack Morris dances a Russian, trepak that further adds to his laurels. The Hon. Joan Grant and Mr. Reg. Buchanan perform a ' drawing-room valsa neatly and expertly, and Aromea Searle, with Trixie Luke and Alma Redding.'.are seen-in a novel scena, '.'The Postman's Dilemma." The Greek" dance play, which concludes the programme, is a new-depart-ure. The girls are in Ureek'costump; and they danco with grace. Miss' Gwyneth. Thomsen, is Venus, Miss Joa.n_ .Beero Spring, Nancy Beere Summer,-MoUy^Gil-lespie Autumn, and Dorothy Bucli Winter. All do somu soio dancing, and there is a vivid florai ballet. The love danco of Miss Thomson and the bubble dauco 01 Miss Joan Beere are lull of merit. Rayna* Duncan'makes a dainty Cupid; Isobfl Eggers is the youth; Heather Horrax is Psyche, and other pupils form a spring ballet, little loves ballet,, and the. Bacchanalian cymbal ballet; with Molly Gillespie as solo dancer. The whole-play-let is well done.

Miss Beero is to bo congratulated on the success of. tho recital,;, sko herself..arranged and invented all the dances, ballets, and plays, and had the generous assistanco of the children's mothers in the dressing, which were all of effective design, sometimes rarely beautiful. Mr. Tano lama. gave valuable assistanco to Miss Beerc in etage-managins the performance, and to Mrs. Ij. H. Wilson there is owing a big share of praise for (lib musical accompatifnicnls. Mrs. Wilson presided at tho piano and was most judicious in her control of iho orchestra,

Tho final performance will take place tonight. Several new .items .will be added to this evening's programme, including Pcsf?T AVolch in sonjfand dance. "Ppwdei'Tuff"'; Nellie liosher, song and dance. "Buy a. Broom" : and l'hyllis Olliver in "Tlie Policeman." " '