DANCERS AND DANCING.

Evening Star, Issue 17922, 18 March 1922, Page 3

DANCERS AND DANCING.

Mr Leslie C. Reynolds, grandson of Mrs W: E. Reynolds, of this city* of whom brief mention was made in ‘ Footlight Flashes’ last Saturday, was kind enough to spare me a few minutes in which to chat, so that I might convoy to my younger readers some information about the latest dances ■ and the best-known dancers. “ For eight years I have been associated with and have taken lessons from members of the famous Russian Ballet, from Mile Derra do Moroda, the celebrated Greek dancer, and ‘ the only true exponent of the Grecian art living’; also from M. A!i Khan, who specialises in Persian and Egyptian dances. There has been a great revival of these beautiful posturings and graceful dances in London this last year or two. Lydia Kyasht, trained by Madame Karsavina at the Imperial School of Dancing in I’etrograd and Moscow, from whom I took lessons for some time, was the first Russian dancer to appear in England after Milo Gcnee, and it was she who really introduced true folk dances at the Empire Theatre. She is now teaching, and her training is of the_ strictest.” “ I notice that in one of your pictures there is toe posturing.” “Yes, that comes as the last and finishing stages of the art. No pupil, until after sixteen years of age, is allowed to attempt toe-dancing, and then only when the. teacher is satisfied that the muscular development of the limbs warrants the advancement ; then there ismo need to learn. The action comes automatically, and the pupils do not need artificial aids, such as padded toes in their shoes, to enable them to strike a balance.” _ “ Classical dancing is hut in its infancy ;n the Dominion?” I ventured to remark.

“Yes.” replied Mr Reynolds. "It is a well-known fact that classical dancing is not thoroughly understood, and on this account not fully appreciated. That will come, of course, in time, when more have taken up this branch of dancing, and when mote exponents of the art give exhibitions from time to time.”

“ Can you give mo a word 1 of advice to pass on to ray readers?” I queried. “Tell them, above everything else, to cultivate grace in preference to many and varied stops, to deam a dance as tjiey would a song or a poem with their soul os well as with their hands and feet.” Last query of all was one about the modern dances. “ Have they lost their popularity at all?” “No; they still jazz, fox trot, and onestep, but with this difference: all the dances have been much simplified, thanks to the Dancing Society of London, who endeavor to make the dances so easy that all can learn to dance them well —much preferable, don’t you think, to many and varied movements performed indifferently and far from gracefully. My last word to all dancers, beginners or otherwise, is to endeavor to cut down all the dances to such simplicity and grace that it will be impossible to make mistakes.” Mme Anna Pavlova was much interested in Mr Reynolds as a male exponent of the art, and on his sailing for New Zealand (he having been forced to relinquish many engagements at Homo on account of his health, the after-effects of war service) specially expressed her hope that the trip might prove beneficial. # There is a strong desire among those who have seen Mr Reynolds perform that he may be seen in' public ere long; also that lessons would, no doubt, be appreciated by those who are desirous of studying the art of classical dancing,.