Elaine Fifield (1930-1999). Australian ballerina

Elaine Fifield was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1930. When she was 15 years old she won a scholarship to study at Sadler’s Wells Ballet School and in 1947 joined the Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet, quickly becoming a principal dancer. Fast and brilliant in style, she was particularly noted for her talent in comedy. In 1951 she created the title role in John Cranko’s Pineapple Poll and was transferred to the Sadler’s Wells (now Royal) Ballet at Covent Garden in 1954, where she remained until 1957. Frederick Ashton chose Fifield as one of the seven ballerinas in his Birthday Offering, created to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary in 1956.

Fifield returned to Australia in 1957 to work with the Borovansky Ballet until 1959 when she temporarily retired. In 1964, Peggy van Praagh, who had been her director at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet, invited her to return to the stage as a principal of The Australian Ballet. Fifield retired from this position in 1966, but continued to dance intermittently for The Australian Ballet from 1969 until her final retirement in 1971. Elaine Fifield died in Perth, Australia, in 1999.