An established partnership, Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin set up their own ballet company in London in 1935, backed by Laura Henderson of the Windmill Theatre, famous for its ‘nude’ revues. The company toured Britain and Europe, dancing a repertory that included the classics, as well as Bronislava Nijinska’s Les Biches. The company closed in 1938 but was ‘resurrected’ in 1949 in the form of Festival Ballet with the added support of Julian Braunsweg. Markova chose the name as a nod to the imminent Festival of Britain that took place in 1951.
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