| Summary |
Mary Heath, speaks about the beginnings of her interest in ballet; ballet classes with Charles Lisner; teaching at Lisner's branch studios; moving to Melbourne; comparison of the classes of Charles Lisner, Laurel Martyn and Martin Rubinstein; her life in Melbourne while a dance student; performing with the Ballet Guild; her return to Brisbane and joining Charles Lisner's company; her colleagues at the time of joining the Lisner Ballet; the early ballets the company performed; the Lisner company's first tour, accommodation arrangements, venues, performance schedules, transport arrangements and audiences; Brisbane seasons of the early Lisner company; Lisner's musical talent and his choreography; the Brisbane dance 'scene' in the early 1960s and the reaction to Lisner; the repertoire of the early Lisner company and early Queensland Ballet; Lisner's use of her dramatic ability; televised productions of the early Queensland Ballet repertoire; her experience of televised performances; the interest in the arts in Brisbane in the 1960s.
Heath discusses the contemporary nature of Lisner's choreography and the inspiration for his work; her musicality; her roles in and the creation of the ballets 'Medea', 'Oedipus Rex', 'Valse Triste'; Charles Lisner's choreographic style; artists of the Queensland Ballet in the mid 1960s; the impact of the company receiving State subsidy; the Lisner school and her teaching commitments; her general experience with the company; her dance partners; Lisner's approach when working with his dancers and while on tour; her dancing injuries; the decision to retire; the lack of Queensland Ballet company class; Lisner's treatment of dancers; his being taken to court over dancer payment; Joseph Savoie and Lynette Sorrenson; general reflections on the Lisner company; her last television appearances; sitting her Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) teacher examinations and her view of the RAD syllabus; Lisner's training; her view of Charles and Valerie Lisner's teaching and of dance teaching generally; her work with adult beginners; her relationship with former students.
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| Notes |
Recorded on June 1, 2007 at Brisbane, Qld.
Digital master; National Library of Australia, Oral History and Folklore collection;
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