“PERFECT FEET"

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20338, 29 August 1940, Page 12

“PERFECT FEET"

SIGNAL COMPLIMENT DANCE JUDGE'S REMARKS COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE A signal compliment was paid by the judge of dancing, Miss Jeane Horne, to one of the competitors in her section at the Gisborne Competitions festival last night, when she referred to this child as the possessor of ‘‘perfect dancing feet." At her every appearance, Miss Horne said, the entrant, Marjorie Croskery, had attracted her attention by the manner in which her feet naturally took the positions for her numbers.

Miss Horne also took occasion to warn competitors against undue disappointment in respect of their marking. ’ Some of the marks awarded no doubt would seem low, but it was necessary to adopt a critical standard in adjudicating on competitions of this kind, and it was not with any intention of discouraging the entrants that this standard was maintained. Judges Always Sympathetic

Miss Horne counselled optimism and continued work as the best means of securing improvement in the markings, and, added that she was always sympathetic, as were the other judges, towards the entrant who showed earnest intentions.

The judge of elocution, Mr. Alan McSkimming, had some complimentary things to say about the work in his section, and was particularly taken by the recitation for boys under 10 years. The winner of this class, he said, gave a fine, manly rendering of his lines, with plenty of virility and style but with no elocutionary tricks. This class produced two other really good boys, too, and he had been unable to separate them. Mr. McSkimming advised competitors against selecting pieces of great length for elocutionary work. Some believed that a bad start might be offset by a good finish, if only the length of the piece gave them time; but often it only happened that the whole performance tailed off. Humourous recitations especially lost point if they were too long, and in this connection he said that the gift of humourous expression was not given to everyone, and could not be pumped into those who did not possess it. He felt lucky to find in the class he was referring to two young ladies Who did extremely well by their pieces. Child’s Outstanding Effort The performance of the winner in the song in costume enthused Mr. Hamilton Dickson, judge of the musical section. This was Alma Goldsmith, who sang “Oro Pro Nobis,” and Mr. Dickson remarked that in a section showing much lovely work hers was an outstanding effort for a child of her age. “It made me forget where I was, and that takes doing!" he added. “This child's performance lifted me right out of the theatre for the time being, and I believe that with careful development her voice might prove to be something very good indeed.” AWARDS: General results announced last night were as under: — Skipping Dance Under 13 Years Rae Mclntosh, 70 points •• •• 1 Marjory Croskery and Mary King (equal), 08 points .. ..2 Recitation Boys Under 10 Years Clive Wilks, 75 points .. .. 1 Denis Kohn and Michael, McMahon (equal), 73 points .. 2 Highly Commended.—Rees Jones. Irish Jig 13 and Under 18 Years Annette Shields, 73 points .. .. 1 Leslie Ryan, 72 points .. • • 2 Violin Solo Under 13. Own Selection Bernard Price, .74 points .. .. 1 Peter Hutchinson and John Wallen (equal), 72 points .. ..2 Operatic Dance. Under 9 Years Audrey Illingworth, 67 points .. 1 Janet Bell, 66 points .. ..2 Very Highly Commended. —Rosemary Aislabie. ; Highly Commended. —Lois Michie and Avon Davy. Song Boys Under 15 Years Raymond Berry, “The Cuckoo,” 73 points .. .. . • • • 1 Graham Wallen, “Early in the Morning,” 72 points .. .. 2 Very Highly Commended. —Allan Mason. I ' Recitation Boys 10 to 14 Years. Own Selection Lex Martin, “Big Steamers,” 73 points .. .. .. • .. 1 Graham Hughes, “The Retort,” 71 points .. .. ..’ ..2 Very Highly Commended. —Brian Mcßreen and Blandford Baker. Highly Commended. —Robert Forbes and John Gordon. Song In Costume 13 to 18 Years. Own Selection Alma Goldsmith, “Ora Pro Nobis,” 101 points 1 Morag McLean, “Cradle Song,” 96 points 2 Very Highly Commended. —Daphne Cooper, Hastings. Highly Commended. Dorothy Fletcher and Agnes Elliott. Character Story Dance 13 to 18 years Ivena Pothan. Hastings, “Watch Tower at Dawn,” 79 points .. 1 Elvira Courtney, “Enchanted Princess,” 75 points .. .. .. 2 Very Highly Commended.—Lorna Sheen, “In a Chinese Temple.” Highly Commended. —Peggy Pulis, “Giselle,” and Annette Shields, “Christmas.” Humorous Recitation Ladies, Own Selection Miss Ivena Pothan, Hastings, “At the Photographers,” and Miss Sheila Munro, “Reggie” (equal). 85 points .. .. .. .. 1 Song Girls Under 13. OvA Selection Christine Thompson, "White Birds,” 77 points .. .. .. ~ 1 Valerie Cleary, Hastings, “Tender Wood Dove,” 76 points . . .. 2 Very Highly Commended.—Gladys McClatchie. Classic Dance . Under 13 Years Marjory Croskery, “Little Brown Leaf,” 70 points 1 Betty Forshaw, 68 points .. .. 2 Very Highly Commended. —Marie Copper.

Sword Dance Under 13 Years Heather Lock, 74 points . . . . 1 Mary King, 73 points . . 2 Harmonica Solo Open, Own Selection \. L. O'Neil!. “Whistling Rufus." 79 points . . . . .. 1 E. Wallace. “Hungarian Dance.” 77 Doints . • • ■ . . 2 Very Highly Commended. —Gordon Uox. Highly Comipended.—J. S. Allen. Sacred Solo Gentleman, Own Selection V. Bentley, Hastings, “Arm, Arm, Ye Brave,” 83 points . . . . , 1 V. Bignell, 81 points . . . . . . 2 Very Highly Commended.—Dennis Doldsmith and Stan. Vincent. Highly Commended.—E. J. Pascoe and F. Olsen.