Established as a “non-profit making organisation to encourage and develop the art of ballet”, the founding members of The Ballet Guild included Christmas Humphreys, Keith Lester, Derrick Lynham,...
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Molly Lake (1909-1986). British dancer, choreographer, director and teacher
Molly Lake was born in Cornwall in 1909 and studied under Serafina Astafieva and Enrico Cecchetti. She made her debut with Anna Pavlova’s company and also danced for Victor Dandré, before working with the Markova-Dolin Ballet from 1935-6. In 1937 Lake formed Ballet Intime with Travis Kemp, to whom she was married. Following the outbreak of World War Two, in 1940 Lake was with the Arts Theatre Ballet, and later with the Ballet Guild. In 1945 she helped form Embassy Ballet (later Continental Ballet), along with Kemp and Mary Honer. She was a prolific choreographer for the company.
In 1954 Molly Lake went to Turkey to direct the Ankara Conservatoire, where she remained for 27 years. She then returned to London to teach at the London School of Contemporary Dance, as well as her own school. She died in London in 1986.