Walter Gore’s London Ballet gave its first performance in Hintlesham Hall, Ipswich, on the 28 July 1961 with an evening of Gore’s choreography. The musical director and co-founder was Michael…
Initially formed in 1940 by the dancers Czeslaw Konarski and Alicja Halama, the Anglo-Polish Ballet was led by Jan Cobel from 1941 onwards. They toured Britain with some success, performing…
Violetta Elvin was one of Frederick Ashton’s favourite ballerinas. She was born Violetta Prokhorova in Russia. Here, in this interview with Patricia Linton, founder and director of Voices of British…
In 1946 the Sadler’s Wells Ballet opened their first season at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, with a new production of The Sleeping Beauty. The scenery and costumes were…
In this extract, poor Henry Danton always seems to be running behind his talent – that is until he met the wonderful ballet teacher, Vera Volkova. However, before this and…
Anne Heaton’s career coincided with an upsurge in creative talent at the Sadler’s Wells Ballet. Observant and wide ranging she reflects on many things, not least the enigmatic choreographer, Andrée…
It really does seem true that dancers in the difficult years of World War Two were happy to exist on the bare minimum. The common bond was that they all…
Patricia Clover gives the merest hint of the thinking behind Les Ballets Nègres, the company that lasted from 1946 until 1952. Her excellent memory and matter of fact style almost…