Dancing with Delight: Footprints of the Past By Cherie Devliotis

Dance and Dancers in Early Twentieth Century Auckland

Cherie Devliotis grew up in an atmosphere steeped in dance. Her mother, Isabelle Brook, was a dancer who performed regularly in the 1920s and 1930s; she also had her own school of dance in Hamilton in the 1930s. Cherie was taken along to the studio from infancy. She is eminently qualified to write a history of dance, dancers and dancing schools in the early part of the 20th century in and around Auckland, with glances further a field.

The book tells the story of dance in relation to the early films. We hear about the development of the competitions and the advancement of ballet in the city of Auckland. The book is thoroughly researched. It holds personal memories of some dancers who were on stage in these early years. Dancing with Delight is lavishly illustrated with pictures from the period covered in the book. It is a readable story which will also become a definitive work on the history of dance in New Zealand. There is much about early Auckland here, told from the perspective of those who lived for dancing and who had to move about the city to fulfil their engagements and take their lessons.

Paperback, 2005, 355pages, ex-lib in good condition