British Pathe

M/S of Moroccan girl wearing a scanty gold costume with black split skirt, dancing on a table surrounded by onlookers. The commentator says "For those who prefer something a little more dignified (more 'English') how about this old-time two step?" M/S of a group of children at Ballantine Dancing School...

M/S of Moroccan girl wearing a scanty gold costume with black split skirt, dancing on a table surrounded by onlookers. The commentator says "For those who prefer something a little more dignified (more 'English') how about this old-time two step?" M/S of a group of children at Ballantine Dancing School in Knightsbridge, London rehearsing for a charity show. Two couples are dancing the Boston two-step while the others sit around watching. The two boys are wearing kilts. C/Us and M/Ss of the two pairs as they go through the dance; the girl in the white dress is Sabina, 5 year-old daughter of actor William Franklyn. A very small girl is sitting in the middle of the floor watching the dancing and a small boy enters the shot and starts to dance with her.

M/S of Violet Ballantine, who runs the school, talking to the children. M/S of two little girls dancing; both wearing ballet costumes with tutus. On the left in the white dress is Caroline Hawkins (daughter of Jack); on the right in the pink is Harriet Jacobs (daughter of Kathleen Byron). A group of girls sit around them in a circle watching the dance, then all get up to join in. Among them is Sabina Franklyn and Moira Lister's daughter, Chantal d'Orthez. M/S of VB keeping time by swinging her arms left and right.

M/S of HJ doing a solo dance; she dances across the floor holding a large hoop, which she holds for three small girls, dressed as poodles, to jump through. The two white poodles are Claudia McCleod (daughter of Diane Hart and Kenneth McCleod) and Louise Rix (daughter of Brian Rix and Elspeth Gray); the black poodle is Vanessa Forbes who nods her head vigorously after climbing through the hoop. M/Ss as HJ dances alone, while the poodles crouch in the background.

C/U of small boy watching. M/Ss and C/Us of three girls dressed as ponies dancing, pawing the ground with their feet, and nodding to the music; pony on the right is Chantal d'Orthez. M/S of two boys in kilts looking on. M/S of the ponies coming to the end of their dance and bowing.
Note: print is quite badly scratched; no neg exists for whole issue. There is correspondence from Violet Ballantine on file.