OPERATIC DANCING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22563, 6 May 1935, Page 17

OPERATIC DANCING

- *.■ -_—__—«, _ / ASSOCIATION OF GREAT . | BRITAIN EXPERT TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND.

(By Aib Mail.) (Feom Ouk Own Correspondent.) . , - LONDON, April 6. Mr Felix Demery, a member of the council of the Association of British Teachers of Ballet Dancing, is to visit Australia and New Zealand on behalf of the association. He has already left for South African The visit is the fruition of several years of effort rto bring Australian and New Zealand students and teachers in line with those of Britain and South Africa. Mr Demery will reach Australia in June, and he will visit four of the capital cities. Subsequently he will go on to New Zealand. The examinations will cover elementary, intermediate, and advanced standards, and candidates submitting themselves for advanced or intermediate grades must first obtain their pass in the elementary section. It is proposed to hold an advanced teachers' examination, to include demonstration of teaching methods, dance composition, knowledge of the 1 steps of the gavotte, minuet, and British national dances, and a written paper. CHILDREN'S EXAMINATIONS. Another important section will be children's grade examinations, in which British entries last year totalled 5000. They' were established to foster the correct teaching of dancing to children, even to those who had no intention,of taking it up as a careerYbut had dancing lessons *s part of their ordiary curriculum. Noncompetitive, and providing a carefullygraded course of dancing, they are based upon sound anatonjical principles. They have been a feature of the South African examinations, where local examiners in these sections have been appointed to carry on the work of the visiting examiner, and it is probable that the some plan will be followed in Australia and New Zealand. •" Mr Demery, who is 47 years of age, has had more than 30 years' experience of the stage and teaching in all branches of dancing, and is one of the leading and most popular adjudicators for « dancing festivals arid competitions. He has been a member of the council and an examiner for the Association of Operatic Dancing since 1922, two years after its establishment. He was for many years associated with the Guildhall School of Music until he retired from it last year, and he has made some notable stage appearances in London. He was " Pau-Puk-Keewis " in the dramatised version of " Hiawatha" at the Albert Hall for five seasons between 1924 and 1929. OBJECTS OF THE ASSOCIATION. The Association of Operatic Dancing has eliminated much of the old haphazardness of teaching methods. There is noth-. ing to prevent any person setting up as a teacher of operatic dancing, but since the association has been holding examinations prospective pupils have come to look for the r,ight qualifications in their dancing teachers as much as in their music teaclieis. This has been practically the death-knell of teaching that was not on the right lines or which did not measure up to the association's standards. The association was brought into being by a group of teachers and performers who felt that the low ebb of dancing teaching in England was due to the absence of any State or .royal dancing school. Mr and Mrs W. Demery, who live in Bedford, parents of Mr Felix Demery, were well-known teachers of dancing from 1880 to 1906, when they retired. * About 10,000 pupils passed through their hands. Their son has inherited their talent, and' those who know him refer to his charm ing personality. • ■