The National Theatre Ballet Company - with 3DB Symphony Orchestra

Princess Theatre Melbourne 1952

Under the guidance of Madame Saranova the Australian branch of the Cecchetti Society was founded with the National Theatre Ballet School as its headquarters; the teaching of the Cecchetti Syllabus provided a direct link with the glorious heritage of the Italian-Russian schools of dance. From its inception until 1948 the School presented two seasons of ballet each year at the Movement’s own theatre in Eastern Hill.
With the formation of the professional National Theatre Ballet in 1949, many pupils of the School were to dance within its ranks at the Princess Theatre. The faculty of the school has included many notable names in Australian and International Ballet, among whom should be mentioned Corrie Lodders, Jill Gregory, Serge and Kyra Bousloff, Marie Cumisky, Margaret Earl, Marita Lowden, Valrene Tweedie and Pat Martin.
Miss Martin remained connected to the National throughout her entire career; she joined the ballet company in 1944 under Jean Alexander, worked as Principal Ballerina until 1949, taught R.A.D. at the school and remained on staff as Ballet School Administrator until her retirement in 1979.

Guest Artists : Paula Hinton, Walter Gore, Henry Danton

Principals: Lynne Golding, Strelsa Heckelman, Leon Kellaway

Soloists: Marie Cumisky, Marita Lowdown, Norma Lowdon, Maureen Davis, Ruth Valene, Ronald Reay, Raymond Trickett, William Harvey

This Souvenir Program is from the 1952 Ballet Season Melbourne