Maryon Lane (1931-2008). South African-born ballerina and teacher

Maryon Lane studied locally in Johannesburg before a scholarship from the Royal Academy of Dance brought her to London to study at the Sadler’s Wells (now Royal) Ballet School in 1946. She joined Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet the following year and was made a principal dancer at the age of 17. Early roles included Swanilda in Coppélia, as well as in works by Ninette de Valois, Frederick Ashton and Alfred Rodrigues. Lane appeared in the first performances of Kenneth MacMillan’s Somnambulism, Laiderette, Danses concertantes and House of Birds. Ashton also created roles on her, including Valses nobles et sentimentales, Madame Chrysanthème and Ondine.

Lane was transferred to the Sadler’s Wells (now Royal) Ballet at Covent Garden in 1955. There, she danced a large variety of roles, including Swanilda, Lise in La Fille mal gardée, Poll in Pineapple Poll, the title role in Mam’zelle Angot, the Chanson Dansée in Les Biches, and solo roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Cinderella, Swan Lake and Birthday Offering. She later appeared as a guest artist with Ballet Rambert in Laiderette and Lilac Garden, and with London Festival (now English National) Ballet, and left The Royal Ballet in 1968.

Maryon Lane was married to fellow principal dancer David Blair and gave birth to twin daughters in 1960. After she stopped dancing, she worked as a teacher, most notably at The Royal Ballet School, London Ballet Centre and the Urdang Academy. After the death of her husband in 1976, she settled in Cyprus, where she set up the Maryon Lane Ballet Academy in Kyrenia. She died in 2008.