TOWN HALL DANCE

Evening Star, Issue 23099, 27 October 1938, Page 19

TOWN HALL DANCE

THE COMPETITION FINALISTS FINE ARRAY OF TALENT That a dancing contest properly organised is a distinct attraction is evidenced by the great interest aroused by this year’s final of the Town Hall dancing championship, to he held on Saturday night. Creditable as the achievements of last year were, the management is not content to rest on its reputation, and as details for the approaching event are completed it has every reason to feel confident that, last year’s efforts will he surpassed. Twelve couples have been selected for the final—ll from Otago and one front Southland. THE FINALISTS. The judging i.s in the hands of Miss E. MacDonald, A.J.S.T.D., of Oamaru. Miss MacDonald was one of the judges in the New Zealand championship held at Wellington last year, and was trained by Josephine Bradley in London. Tt will be remembered that last year the judging was done by public vote, but this way of selecting the winner did not altogether meet with the approval of a section of the community.' For this reason the management decided to get an outside judge for the final this year. Every one of the competitors deserves his or her place in the final, as it was only after a thorough- method of judging that the 12 couples were selected. There are only two couples in this year’s final that wore in last year’s—Mr Leo Schmeltz and Miss 0. Duff, and Mr Cliff Garland and Miss Kitty Eckhoff. Mr, Pat M'Narnara and Mr Alex. Wilson were in last year’s final, but danced with different partners.

The finalists this year are Miss Cora Duff and Mr Leo Schmeltz, Miss J, Lawrence and Mr P. M'Namara, Miss V. Crerar and Miss S. Osborne, Miss J. Smith and Mr A. M'Cracken, Miss SI. Croshie and Sir J. Glossop, Miss Elsie Brown and Sir Jim Dillon, Sliss 0. Pritchard and Sir J. Harrison, Sliss Slillio Baxter and Sir D. Brown, Miss D. Sloir and Sir A. Wilson, Sliss K. Eckhoff and Sir 0. Garland, Sliss A. Anderson and Sir N. Howie. Sliss I. Gavin. (Southland) and Sir B. Brown (Southland). INDIVIDUAL CONTESTANTS. Sliss Cota Duff, in addition to being an excellent ballroom daricer, has won many prizes for ballet and tap dancing. She is a member of a well-known athletic family, and a daughter of the vetcraiv athfete, Sir W. Duff, apd has been danqing continuously with her partner, Sir Leo Schmeltz, for the past two years. Sliss June Lawrence is also a brilliant tap dancer, and is well known both in Dunedin and Christchurch for her exhibitions of tap dancing and singing. She has been tap dancing since she was four years of age. This is the first ballroom competition in which she has competed. She has been dancing with her partner, Sir Pat M'Namara, for the past 12 months. Sliss V. Crerar and Sir S. Osborne have only been dancing together for a short time, but are both natural dancers. They have never attended any dancing school, and learnt all their dancing at the regular Saturday night dance. For their first year in senior competition they have put up a very creditable performance. Sliss Jean Smith and Sir Albert Sl'Crackcn, although making their initial appearance in senior competition dancing, are Well known by their outstanding demonstrations at various events during the past season. ■ Their brilliant technique and easy movement have_ found instant favour with the dancing public. Sliss N. Croshie and Sir J. Glossop are another couple who have shown distinct improvement over the last two months, and should be well to the fore. Sliss Elsie Brown and Sir J. Dillon are among the most natural dancers in the competition.' This is their first year in senior competition, and they singled themselves out as good dancers by being included in the first heat earlier in the season. Following that, they put up an outstanding performance by winning a smaller competition about three months ago. Sliss C. Pritchard and Mr J. Harrison are another couple who have leariit all their dancing at the regular Saturday night dance. They were selected in the second heat earlier in the season.and were amongst the first five ehoseti for the final. They have been dancing together for about 12 months, and it is their first year in senior competition. They were third in a small competition earlier in. tlio season. Miss Pritchard, partnered by a member of H.M.S. Leander, was second in the H.M.S. Leander competition, and gave a brilliant exhibition of dancing. Miss Millie Baxter and Mr Don Brown are having their first attempt at open competition dancing. Miss Baxter has won many prizes at Highland dancuio- and has got a perfect understanding of her partner’s style. They distinguished themselves earlier in the season by being one of the first three picked in the first heat, and are one of the favourites for Saturday night Miss D. Moir is an experienced dancer, but has not taken part in many competitions. She was a competitor in the Wellington competition last year, and was considered unludkv in not being chosen for the final. Her partner, Mr Alexander Wilson, is also an eXpeuenced dancer, and both have a perfect knowledge of what is required for winning a competition of this nature. Miss Kitty Eckhoff and Mr Cliff Garland are well known to the Otago dancing public for their fine record in ballroom dancing. They were successful in winning the Dunedin competition in 1937, and again this year, and will lack nothing in the way of knowing what is required to win on Saturday mght. Miss A. Anderson and Mr N. Howie were the last couple to be selected for the final, and were chosen by public vote, and had a majority of more than jOO over the next couple. They have been practising hard together, and are expected to put up a very creditable showing on Saturday night. Miss I. Gavin and Mr B. Brown are the Southland representatives, and little is known about their ability, but from reporte received it is stated that they put up an outstanding performance to win the Southland final a fortnight ago. The winning coilplo will leave New Zealand on December 5 to compete for further honours in the grand Australasian final, to be held in Melbourne on December 12. Rarely before has competition dancing created such public interest as in this case. The standard of dancing is extremely high, and those who witness the final contest should be treated to a highlight of entertainment.