Dulcie Howes facts for kids

Dulcie Howes (born December 31, 1908 – died March 19, 1993) was a famous South African ballet dancer. She was also a talented teacher, choreographer (someone who creates dances), and led a ballet company. Many people thought she was the best ballet dancer in South Africa during her time. In 1934, she started a ballet company. This company later grew into the Cape Town City Ballet we know today.

Dulcie Howes' Early Life and Dance Training

Dulcie Howes was born in a seaside town called Little Brak River in South Africa. This town is near Mossel Bay, a busy harbor. Her father, Justice Reed Howes, moved to South Africa after the Second Boer War. He was a headmaster and later a lawyer in Cape Town.

When Dulcie was a girl, her parents enrolled her in "fancy dancing" classes. She learned how to walk gracefully and curtsey. She also learned small dances for student shows. Later, she received more serious ballet training from Helen White. Helen White had studied with a famous Italian teacher named Enrico Cecchetti. Dulcie learned the basic techniques of ballet from her.

In 1925, when she was 17, Dulcie saw a performance by Anna Pavlova's ballet company. This inspired her to become a professional ballet dancer. With encouragement from her teachers, Dulcie traveled to London. There, she continued her dance education.

She studied the Cecchetti method of ballet with Margaret Craske. She also learned mime (acting without words) from Tamara Karsavina. Dulcie also studied different national and character dances. She even learned Spanish dance. She made sure to learn all about how to put on stage shows.

In 1927, Dulcie danced for a short time with Anna Pavlova's touring company. This was her first professional job. In 1928, she returned to South Africa. She had a big dream: to create a major ballet company in her home country. Her vision greatly changed South African dance history.

Dulcie Howes' Professional Ballet Career

After returning to South Africa, Dulcie Howes taught dance in Cape Town and Johannesburg. In 1934, something very important happened. Professor William Bell from the University of Cape Town (UCT) invited her to start a ballet school. Dulcie quickly accepted this offer.

Her students at this new school became the first dancers of the UCT Ballet Company. From 1941, the school offered a three-year diploma course. This course later became a full university degree program in 1998. The company performed all over South Africa. They also toured to nearby countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, and Mozambique.

For many years, Dulcie was the main dancer and choreographer for the company. She also managed the company, supervised costumes, and even helped backstage. She was a very dedicated leader. Dulcie was modest about her own dancing and choreography skills. However, her students thought she was an excellent teacher.

Many of her students became famous dancers and choreographers overseas. Some of these talented dancers included David Poole, John Cranko, Alfred Rodrigues, Johaar Mosaval, Petrus Bosman, and Desmond Doyle.

In 1950, Dulcie started the Dulcie Howes Trust Fund. This fund used money from the UCT Ballet performances. It helped dancers study abroad. It also brought guest artists to dance in South Africa.

In 1963, the South African government began to support ballet companies. They gave money to companies in the four provinces. This allowed the companies to hire full-time dancers and ballet masters. In 1964, the UCT Ballet became a professional company. It was renamed the Cape Performing Arts Board Ballet (CAPAB Ballet).

Dulcie Howes became the artistic director of CAPAB Ballet. She guided the company towards a strong future. She retired in 1969. The company is now known as the Cape Town City Ballet. Dulcie also retired from the UCT Ballet School in 1972. The school is still open today as the UCT School of Dance.

Ballet Works Choreographed by Dulcie Howes

Dulcie Howes created over thirty ballet works. Here are some examples that show her dramatic and musical interests:

• 1932. The Pied Piper of Hamlin, with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
• 1934. The Enchanted Well and The Vision of Delight, with music by William Bell.
• 1935. Fête Champetre, with music by William Bell.
• 1936. Russian Tale, with music by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
• 1937. Les Images, with music by Claude Debussy.
• 1938. The Coffee Cantata, with music by Johann Sebastian Bach.
• 1939. La Famille, with music by William Walton.
• 1940. Pastorale, with music by Ludwig van Beethoven.
• 1941. Spring in the Park, with music by Ernõ Dohnányi.
• 1942. Carnaval des Animaux, with music by Camille Saint-Saëns.
• 1943. Rio Grande, with music by Constant Lambert.
• 1944. Pliaska, with music by Anatoly Lyadov.
• 1945. Fête Galante, with music by Sergei Prokofiev.
• 1947. Les Diversions, with music by Giaochino Rossini, arranged by Benjamin Britten.
• 1952. Vlei Legend, with music by John Joubert.
• 1968. La Famille: The Intimate Recollections of an Elderly Aunt, with music by Benjamin Britten.

Honors and Awards for Dulcie Howes

Dulcie Howes received many awards for her work during her lifetime. These included:

• The Award of Merit from the Cape Tercentenary Foundation in 1953.
• The Festival of Union Medal in 1960.
• A Gold Medal from the Cecchetti Society in 1969.
• A medal of honor from the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (South African Academy of Arts and Science) in 1970. This was for promoting ballet in South Africa.

In 1976, she became a Patron of the local Balletomanes Society. That same year, she received an honorary doctorate of music from the University of Cape Town. In 1981, she became a fellow of the Cecchetti Branch of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.

More awards followed. In 1989, she received the prestigious Order for Meritorious Service (Gold Class). This is a high honor given by the South African president. In 1991, she received a special Nederburg Award for her contributions to ballet.

Dulcie Howes' Personal Life

In 1937, Dulcie Howes married Guy Cronwright in London. He was a newspaper managing director. They had two daughters, Amelia and Victoria. Both daughters shared their mother's love for ballet. Victoria Carwood later became the executive chairman of the Cape Town City Ballet.

In her later years, Dulcie Howes was often asked to join theater administration boards. She was also a respected judge and critic on many dance boards.