1942 – Allied Ballet established

Jashf Crandall made his performing debut in the United States of America with Mikhail Mordkin’s Russian Ballet in 1926. Crandall had also danced with Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Adolph Bolm and Mikhail Fokine before moving to Paris in the 1930s to dance at the Paris Opéra, and Colonel de Basil’s Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. He joined the Anglo-Polish Ballet as ballet master at the outbreak of World War Two. Crandall broke away from the Anglo-Polish Ballet to form the smaller Allied Ballet, aiming to present new British ballets. Lasting only a year, Crandall’s venture was significant in that it gave several young dancers early opportunities, including Sonia Arova and Henry Danton. Silver Birch, choreographed by Lydia Sokolova with designs by Nadia Benois, gives a flavour of the new work created at the company. The Allied Ballet was obliged to cease operations in 1943.