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MONDAY, JUNE 30, 1980
HE SAID THE BALLET SCHOOL HAD BEEN WELL-RECEIVED. A TOTAL OF 49 STUDENTS JOINED WHEN IT OPENED IN APRIL LAST YEAR, AND THE NUMBER HAD GROWN TO 60 THIS TERM.
IN APRIL THIS YEAR, 28 STUDENTS ENTERED AN EXAMINATION CONDUCTED BY THE IMPERIAL SOCIETY FOR TEACHERS OF DANCING, OF WHOM 21 PASSED AND TWO RECEIVED HONOURS.
+THIS IS A VERY GOOD RESULT CONSIDERING THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE ONLY BEEN LEARNING BALLET FOR ONE YEAR,+ SAID THE SCHOOL'S DIRECTOR, MR MICHAEL ANTHONY.
MR ANTHONY, WHO HOLDS A TEACHER'S DIPLOMA IN BALLET AND HAS BEEN A PROFESSIONAL DANCER FOR 20 YEARS, ALSO TEACHES AT THE HONG KONG ACADEMY OF BALLET. HE SAID +HONG KONG CHILDREN ARE BORN DANCERS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE JOINING THE CLASSES.+
HE SAID NOT EVERY STUDENT OF THE SCHOOL WOULD BECOME A PROFESSIONAL DANCER, BUT BALLET GAVE THEM PHYSICAL GROWTH, DISCIPLINE AND ART APPRECIATION.
STUDENTS ATTEND ONE-HOUR TRAINING SESSIONS WEEKLY AT YUEN LONG TOWN HALL.
THE SYLLABUS FOLLOWS THE CECCHETTI BRANCH OF THE IMPERIAL SOCIETY AND LASTS THREE YEARS. BESIDES INTERNAL EXAMINATIONS, STUDENTS ALSO ENTER EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS SO THAT THEIR ATTAINMENTS CAN BE PROPERLY ASSESSED AND RECOGNISED.
THE ARTS COMMITTEE IS PLANNING TO SET UP A SCHOLARSHIP TO SEND TALENTED CHILDREN OVERSEAS FOR FURTHER TRAINING.
YUEN LONG DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD PROVIDED THE SCHOOL WITH $60 000 IN 1979/80. THIS YEAR $54 000 HAS BEEN APPROVED TO MEET THE EXPENSES OF TRAINING AND STAGING PERFORMANCES.
IT IS HOPED THAT STUDENTS WILL GIVE THEIR FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE EARLY NEXT YEAR.
RECRUITMENT FOR THE COMING TERM WILL BEGIN IN AUGUST. APPLICATION FORMS WILL BE SENT TO SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT AND WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND TOWN HALL.
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