After Two Years in London

Southland Times, Issue 22472, 7 November 1934, Page 5

After Two Years in London

“My work was such an absorbing interest and the devotion of much time to it prevented my travelling very extensively,” said Miss Graeme Carswell in an interview with a Times reporter. Miss Carswell, who is a daughter of Mr and Mrs Hugh Carswell, Gladstone, left Invercargill all but two years ago to study dancing in London. Her letters, A.T.R.G.D., (Associate Teacher of the Revival of Greek Dancing) gained, and a further course completed, Miss Carswell returned to Invercargill last week. . . Always fond of dancing, Miss Carswell realized her ambition when she entered the Ginner-Mawer School of Dance which is in Kensington, just out of London. Hitherto she had been under the instruction of Miss Dorothy Dean who is well remembered in Dunedin and Invercargill and it was during classes with her that Miss Carswell developed a love for Greek dancing which she has since studied from every aspect. This study embraced a large field and apart from becoming proficient in the actual dance, Miss Carswell found that she had to absorb Greek history, the art of pottery, drama, mime, and, of course, anatomy which plays a large part in the studies of a dancer. “Also,” she said, “a dancer must consider her diet, for the life is a strenuous one and although the weight must be kept down, energy giving foods must be taken, for vitality means a great deal to and is needed by the student, for her day is a long one and very often the work is hard.” While in London Miss Carswell lived with MisS Dean and Miss Jean Denning who are directors of the Janelli School —a branch of the GinnerMawer School—where she was a pupil. The studio where she took her classes and practices, was quite close to her flat, but she had to go to the British Museum for her lectures for it was there that the professors found examples and illustrations for their talks. “I loved the British Museum,” said Miss Carswell, “and it was most interesting having our lectures among examples of the actual objects of the professors’ talks.”

Although Miss Carswell has made Greek dancing her forte she has made a study of many branches of the art including the ballet, national dancing and ballroom dancing. “I saw the Russian ballet at Covent Garden last season,” she continued, “and thought it marvellous. It is very picturesque and the beauty of the music enhances its loveliness.”

In referring to her opening remark, Miss Carswell said that time would not allow her to travel and although she had planned to visit the Continent before leaving for New Zealand the Shakespearean festival at Stratford-on-Avon provided greater attractions. Dur-

ing her holidays Miss Carswell spent much time in the country and she became well acquainted with the south of England. “The country in England is glorious,” she continued, “and each county is different, the people are different and their speech is different. The many different broques fascinated me and I loved them all except Lancashire.” Miss Carswell will open a Janelh School of Dance in New Zealand next year and she is very keen to begin her work. She treasures hopes of visiting England again in the future to take a refresher course which she considers important, for like every other art, dancing advances and ideas change, and to be a successful teacher one must be up to date.