March 19, 2010

Richard Grevers                posted 16 Mar 2010, 05:09 PM / edited 16 Mar 2010, 10:06 PM

YVONNE CARTIER: Does anyone have “reliably sourced” material (e.g. professional journalism, not from sources closely associated with her) material on NZ-born choreographer/mime Yvonne Cartier? There is evidence she has been a significant figure in ballet and dance, but I can’t find good sources for it online, and her Wikipedia article is therefore at risk of deletion.

Raewyn Whyte posted 17 Mar 2010, 10:24 AM / edited 19 Mar 2010, 10:33 AM

There are numerous references to Yvonne Cartier from newspapers of the period 1930s to 1948 (with citations) and some photos up to 1948, in the book by Cherie Devliotis -” Dancing with Delight: Footprints of the Past : Dance and Dancers in Early Twentieth Century Auckland.” Polygraphia, Auckland 2005.

Primary sources are newsclips, diaries, memoirs, oral interviews – it’s not an academic publication.  Available from the publisher www.polygraphianz.com if you can’t find it in a bookstore; or you can borrow my copy.

Yvonne was a senior member of Auckland-based touring company Repertory Ballet Theatre which was formed in 1946 under the direction of Beryl Nettleton and Bettina Edwards in an attempt to establish professional ballet here, also to encourage the development of NZ choreography.  Yvonne was also a committee member of the associated Ballet Club who met at least weekly to study the history, music and design of ballets and develop their choreographic skills. In 1949 she went to England for further study on a RAD Scholarship

Richard Grevers                posted 19 Mar 2010, 09:55 PM

Thanks Raewyn,

my local library has a copy due back in a week.