| Biography | The Ginner-Mawer Dancers was founded by Ruby Ginner (1886-1978).Born in Cannes, Ruby Ginner moved to England when she was eleven. She studied ballet whilst also playing many juvenile dramatic roles under the direction of Elsie Fogerty and Frank Benson. Working with Fogerty on Greek choruses she began research at the British Museum to learn about ancient Greek dance and movement. After founding the company Grecian Dancers [1914], who performed in London, she established the Ruby Ginner School of Dance where she was later joined by the mime artist, Irene Mawer. The school was renamed the Ginner-Mawer School of Dance and Drama [1915].
Ginner also founded the Association of Teachers of the Revived Greek Dance (ATRGD) which later became the Greek Dance Association and was affiliated to the ISTD Greek Dance Branch. During the late 1920s to early 1930s, Ginner choreographed performances for the Greek Festival of Drama, Folk Song and Dance in Athens and outdoor performances in Hyde Park and Regents Park, London. In 1936, with the ATRGD, Ginner also presented a Greek Dance Festival (featuring 400 performers) at the Royal Albert Hall.
Ruby Ginners Revived Greek Dance (subsequently renamed and known today as Classical Greek Dance) drew on athletics, drama and dance with an allegiance to ancient Greek ideals. The movements arranged by Ginner originated from her artefact based study of dancing figures from the ancient Greek arts. The method explores various styles: lyrical, athletic, bacchic, pyrrhic, tragic and choric. The use of props such as spears, swords and shields, cymbals, tambors and thyrsi was common to several of these styles. There is attention to opposition and symmetry and angular designs which are layered onto steps such as walks, skips and runs. The athletic work came from images of athletics in Greek art and echoed its archery positions and javelin hurls. Dramatic expression and its emotional resonances were also features of this form. Ginner was awarded the Gold Leaf commemorative medal and a diploma by the Hellenic Red Cross for services to Greece in the Second World War. She was also awarded an MBE in 1968 and was still working at the age of 80. |