LOCAL DANCER'S RECORD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18582, 17 December 1934, Page 3

LOCAL DANCER'S RECORD

TWO YEARS IN LONE3N MR. JOHN THODEY'?! RETURN POPULARITY OF BALLET A worthy record was achieved in his dancing career by Mr. John Thodey, Patutahi, who returned last week after an absence of two years in London. Mr. Thodey went overseas to secure further training in dunciiigi. Within six months he was in employment in his profession, and secured continuous engagements right up to the time of his departure. The classical ballet engaged most of his attention. This form of dancing, Mr. Thodey told a. pressman to-day, was taking a big hold over the English tmblic, and was being fostered by . the Russian Imperial Ballet. In the ballet, no words were either spoken or sung. It was performed on a silent stage, except for the music, and the story told by the ballet depended upon characterisation, postures and gestures throughout the dance.

All types of entertainment were perr formed by the ballet, including the classical, the drama, the comedy and the farce, Mr. Thodey added. It was ; a. silent show much like the old motion pictures before the talkies captured the fancy of the public. The choral ballet was", not taking on too well in London, . but the silent ballet was becoming popular. It was only in its infancy yet, but promised to make great progress. ENGAGED WITH RUSSIAN BALLET Mr. Thodey went to 'train under Nicolas Legat, head of the Russian Imperial Ballet, as it existed : before the revolution, and. Mr. Thodey said that this was now regarded as the Highest school in the world for this art. He was engaged with the. Imperial Russian Ballet, shortly afterwards, and later with another Russian company. He had engagements practically all the time after lie commenced active work six months following his arrival in London. During the latter part of his period in London lie was doing principal work, and was associated with some well-known performers, including Doris Sonne, and later in Paris with Madame Nordi. Other engagements included one with the Oamargo Society, another big ballet company doing mainly variety work, and in the ''Pageant of Parliament" in the Albert Hall, in which he was one. of the principals, j He was offered an engagement witli the Russian ballet engaged for the Melbourne Centenary celebrations, and contemplated joining because at the time the intention was to include New Zealand in the company's itinerary, but when he knew definitely that the company would not continue on to the Dominion Mr. Thodey refused the offer. WORK HARD, BUT INTERESTING Mr. Thodey found the work of succeeding in the dancing profession hard but extremely interesting. He said that it was worse than training for athletic contests, for in keeping fit for dancing performances one had to be not only in strict training, but at it practically all the time, all day and every day, sometimes seven days a, Tffeek. There was a practice to be attended in the morning and a show in the afternoon, usually, as well as at night, while on Sundays there were ofton rehearsals.

Although he was back in New Zealand mainly on holiday, Mr. Thodey did not intend, to allow, himself to slip back in his training. Ho hoped to join up in London at the end of next year, with the Russian ballet at present in Melbourne under Dandree, Madame Pavlova's husband. ....