Dame Margaret Scott, 1922—2019
…Even before that, way back in 1993, I had the pleasure of recording an oral history interview with her for the National Library of Australia, which eventually formed a framework for the biography. Vale Maggie. You were an exceptional woman and you changed the face of dance in Australia. The obituary I wrote has been published in Dance Australia at this link. Dame Margaret Scott, AC, DBE, OBE. Born Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 April 1922 Died Mel…
June Kerr (1932–2018)
…opping moment at the funeral to learn about what was probably the only ‘lie’ anyone ever told to this kind and trusting woman June Kerr: Born South-end-on Sea, England, 12 June 1932; married Russell Kerr, 1 son, 1 daughter; died Christchurch, New Zealand, 29 October 2018 A version of this obituary first appeared in The Dominion Post on 24 November 2018. Sources: Russell Kerr, David Kerr, Anne Rowse, Keith McEwing. Jennifer Shennan, 25 November 201…
Nina Verchinina: a postscript
…at least about the names of her partner or partners. John Gregory, in his obituary in The Independent on 21 December 1995 states that Verchinina ‘…remained with that company [Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo] throughout the Thirties in its various guises under the directorship at different times of Rene Blum, Leonide Massine and Colonel de Basil. During that decade she acquired international fame and married Count Jean Beausacq, who later was to contr…
Online articles
…alian journal about dance, 23, December 2005, pp. 6–11 On Ross Stretton—an obituary: ‘A vision for the future of ballet’, Sydney Morning Herald, 17 June 2005 The articles below have been ‘quarantined’ from the list until they again become available. They are not presently, and may never be, available due to a server change by DanceTabs. On the third Bournonville Festival: ‘Royal Danish Ballet, 3rd Bournonville Festival, some personal thoughts’, ba…
Mirrors and Scrims. Marcia B Siegel
…touch a individual nerve in a special way. I particularly admired Siegel’s obituary for the critic Edwin Denby, ‘Edwin Denby, 1903-1983’—a moving and personal tribute, which includes the following comment: ‘He knew long before I did that dancing is like living, and that the better we can perceive the ordinary specialness in living, the better we’ll see the out-of-the-ordinary specialness of dancing.’ I also relished reading an essay called ‘Reclai…
Dance diary. October 2012
…rary of Australia Mounsey’s major career was in the United States with New York City Ballet and she had a long career as a teacher in Los Angeles. Here is a link to Alastair Macaulay’s obituary in The New York Times, the only one I have seen so far that mentions the Australian part of her life. Michelle Potter, 31 October 2012…
The Royal Ballet. Tour of Australia and New Zealand 1958–1959
…s native Ireland’ (he was born in County Clare), as one author wrote in an obituary for Robinson. He was not impressed by Les Sylphides, and he would have known this ballet well from the Kirsova Ballet: ‘The presentation of “Les Sylphides” by the Royal Ballet … contained all the components of this ballet save the basic understanding and expression of this marriage of music, dancing, painting an poetry.’ He greatly admired Svetlana Beriosova and sa…
Ronne Arnold (c. 1938–2020)
…el Cathcart on ‘Books and Arts’, Radio National, August 2013 Ronne Arnold, born Philadelpdia, Pennsylvania c. 1938; died Katoomba, New South Wales, 13 February 2020 Michelle Potter, 23 February 2020 Featured image: Pages from Order of Service for Ronne Arnold. Courtesy Jan Poddebsky This obituary is largely based on an oral history interview I recorded with Ronne Arnold for the National Library of Australia, TRC 3626, and on a conversation I had w…
Dance diary. June 2015
…e always felt she saw Helpmann through rose-tinted glasses but, as with her Ballets Russes work, it provides a great starting point for further research. An obituary published by London’s Telegraph is at this link. Michelle Potter, 30 June 2015…
Dance diary. February 2015
…with narrative. Bouquets. Harry Haythorne Recently, while expanding on my obituary for Harry Haythorne for another purpose, I came across an article Haythorne had written in 2001 for a special Australian edition of the journal Choreography and dance: an international journal (volume 6, parts 2 and 3). This issue, which I had forgotten about until now I’m afraid, was edited by Meg Denton and focused on influences and trends in Australian dance. Ha…