DANCING EXAMINER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26774, 18 May 1948, Page 2

DANCING EXAMINER

Miss Ruth French REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOLARSHIP “It is pleasing to note the growing popularity of ballet in New Zealand,” Miss Ruth French, who is at present conducting examinations in dancing for the Royal Academy, said in an interview last night with the Daily Times. “ There are many more schools than there were at the time of my last visit, and I would like to say that, in the case of some of the seniors, there is a great deal of talent. The scholarships now given every two years are certainly an incentive to boys and girls to improve their dancing. The requirements for the winning of a scholarship are many. Not only mbst the candidate have a sound technical knowledge of her art, but she should also have natural grace, beauty of form and face, and a strong sense of the dramatic. Without these a dancer will never reach the standard required by the world's great ballets.” Miss French, who has her own school of dancing in London, said that ballet at Home was having great success at the moment, and indeed, was enjoying a tremendous popularity throughout the world. The Borovansky company in Australia was notable, in that it was the first established Australian ballet. She recalled with pleasure her association with Borovansky in the Anna Pavlova company, and spoke of some of her favourite ballets, the “ Bluebird ” and “ Visions,” which were performed by that company, which had a repertoire almost entirely its own. She spoke of the principal of the Royal Academy, Madame Adeline Genee, who, like Pavlova, was one of the world’s great dancers, and who still took an active part in tlie administrative side of the Academy’s work. Miss French expects to be in New Zealand for several months, after which she will conduct examinations in Australia, and probably return to London about the end of the year.