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There had been Canadian tours before; one by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo,
which David had seen in 1941 and one by Boris Vokloff's company (to the 1936 Berlin Olympics).
So really, this was the first Canadian tour by a Canadian ballet company.
What Gweneth and Betty accomplished in 1946 was phenomenal. The company toured Regina
Saskatoon and Edmonton after performing in Ottawa. "Boris Volkoff went especially to watch the company in Ottawa," says David. "He was quoted as saying 'Winnipeg can be proud of its talent. Please tell your city to suppor this worthy group -- they deserve it. The more appearance before the public, the more experience they gain, and that is what they still lack.' "After that tour, in an interview with Lillian Gibbons in Winnipeg, Gweneth Lloyed said, 'the trip was good publicity for the corps de ballet. Ottaw adidn't expect anything very fine to come out of Winnipeg. It saw and applauded.' "In the same interview Gweneth Lloyed said, 'the Ottawa jaunt cost $3,600 to move 30 people to Ottawa and back. The fee was only $1,200. We raised the other $2,400 at two benefits for ourselves.' "She went on to talk about her hopes for a National Ballet of Canada," says David. "That was in 1945."
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