§ MARGARET MORRIS (SCOTTISH 1891-1980) FLOSSIE JOLLEY Oil on canvas

(39.5cm x 27cm (15.5in x 10.5in))

Flossie Jolley was one of the original members of Margaret Morris's 'Dancing Children', in the dance pioneer's first touring company. A pencil sketch by Morris of Jolley and her fellow student Kathleen Dillon, in a production entitled 'The Orpheus' which was performed at The Savoy, London in 1911, is in the collection of The Fergusson Gallery, Perth (accession number MM407). The two young dancers also appear in a photograph of 1912 which can be found in Morris's memoir, My Galsworthy Story (Peter Owen, London, 1968, plate 3b). Jolley remained with Morris until at least 1918, taking on choreography and teaching responsibilities. She was often singled out for praise in reviews of Morris's productions, including that of The Pall Mall Gazette of 27 November 1912, which exclaimed: 'Miss Margaret Morris and her dancing children are giving at the Kingsway Theatre...a series of eight classic dances...very much liked was the dance of the 'Two Winds' by Miss Kathleen Dillon and Miss Flossie Jolley - gentle zephyrs blowing across the stage in veils of blue and grey.' We are grateful to Richard Emerson, author of 'Rhythm and Colour: Hélène Vanel, Loïs Hutton and Margaret Morris', Golden Hare, Edinburgh, 2019 and Amy Fairley, Collections Officer (Art), Culture Perth and Kinross, for their assistance in researching this work.