"studied at the Royal Ballet School. The first was Alicia Markova who, having been mentored by Ninette de Valois as a member of Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, was invited to become one of the founder dancers of the Royal Ballet. She was designated the company's first Prima ballerina, and was later recognised as a Prima ballerina assoluta. Margot Fonteyn trained at the Royal Ballet School and spent her entire career with the company. As a gift for her 60th birthday, she was appointed Prima ballerina assoluta by Queen Elizabeth II. Phyllis Spira joined the Royal Ballet School in 1959, graduating"
"Margot Fonteyn Dame Margot Fonteyn, DBE (18 May 191921 February 1991), stage name of Margaret Evelyn de Arias, was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet, eventually being appointed ""prima ballerina assoluta"" of the company by Queen Elizabeth II. Beginning ballet lessons at the age of four, she studied in England and China, where her father was transferred for his work. Her training in Shanghai was with George Goncharov, contributing to her continuing interest in Russian ballet. Returning to London at the age of 14, she was invited to join the Vic-Wells"
"when she was performing with the Sadler’s Wells Ballet. Margot Fonteyn Dame Margot Fonteyn, DBE (18 May 191921 February 1991), stage name of Margaret Evelyn de Arias, was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet, eventually being appointed ""prima ballerina assoluta"" of the company by Queen Elizabeth II. Beginning ballet lessons at the age of four, she studied in England and China, where her father was transferred for his work. Her training in Shanghai was with George Goncharov, contributing to her continuing interest in Russian ballet. Returning to London at the age"
"Royal Ballet is one of the world's foremost classical ballet companies, its reputation built on two prominent figures of 20th-century dance, ""prima ballerina"" Margot Fonteyn and choreographer Frederick Ashton. England (and the UK as a whole) has had a considerable influence on the history of the cinema, producing some of the greatest actors, directors and motion pictures of all time, including Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, David Lean, Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, John Gielgud, Peter Sellers, Julie Andrews, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet and Daniel Day-Lewis. Hitchcock and Lean are among the most critically acclaimed filmmakers. Hitchcock's first"
"companies to this day, generally noted for its artistic and creative values. The company employs approximately 100 dancers and has purpose built facilities within the Royal Opera House. The official associate school of the company is the Royal Ballet School, and it also has a sister company, the Birmingham Royal Ballet, which operates independently. The Prima ballerina assoluta of the Royal Ballet is the late Dame Margot Fonteyn. In 1926, the Irish-born dancer Ninette de Valois founded the Academy of Choreographic Art, a dance school for girls. Her intention was to form a repertory ballet company and school, leading her"
"featuring students from all years of the school. The programme includes new works and heritage pieces from the Royal Ballet repertory and culminates in a grand défilé, in which every student of the school appears on stage in a choreographed curtain call. The Royal Ballet School is unique in having trained four of only a small number of dancers in history to have been recognised as Prima Ballerina Assoluta, the ultimate honorary title for a ballerina. Exclusively trained at The Royal Ballet School and dancing her entire professional career with The Royal Ballet, Margot Fonteyn was appointed Prima Ballerina Assoluta"
"Palmer film about Fonteyn, entitled ""Margot"". Wendy Ellis Somes Wendy Ellis Somes (born 6 December 1951) is a former principal ballerina with the Royal Ballet in London, and is now a worldwide producer of the Sir Frederick Ashton ballets Cinderella and Symphonic Variations. She was born Wendy Rose Ellis in Blackburn, and received her early training at the Carlotta School of Dance, later winning a British Ballet Organization scholarship. In 1963 she was selected to study at the Royal Ballet School, and moved to London with her parents to continue training. She started there in 1963 and joined the Royal"
"was founded in 1950 with the financial backing of the Polish impresario Julian Braunsweg. The name was inspired by the then imminent Festival of Britain, however the Company would later be renamed to today's English National Ballet. Dolin was the Company's first Artistic Director and established the Company as a touring group both nationally in the UK and Internationally, touring abroad for the first time in 1951. Dolin also introduced a number of educational programs in the early years, designed to make ballet accessible to new audiences. Dolin remained as Artistic Director until 1962, succeeded by John Gilpin, who was"
"Michael Somes Michael George Somes CBE (28 September 191718 November 1994), was an English ballet dancer. He was a principal dancer of The Royal Ballet, London, and the frequent partner of Margot Fonteyn. Somes was born in Horsley, Gloucestershire, England. In 1934, he was awarded the first scholarship given to a male by the Royal Ballet (then known as the Vic-Wells Ballet). In 1938, he and Fonteyn created the principal rôles in the Frederick Ashton/Constant Lambert ballet ""Horoscope"", after which he was described as ""potentially the finest British male dancer of the half century"". He originated rôles in 24 ballets"
"instituted the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award to mark the occasion. The award is presented annually in recognition of outstanding services to the art of ballet. The first recipient was Dame Ninette de Valois, founder of The Royal Ballet Company. The following is a list of selected recipients of the award. Dame Adeline Genée retired as President of the RAD in 1954 and Dame Margot Fonteyn was elected as her successor. The leading Principal dancer of the Royal Ballet at that time and considered the greatest Ballerina of her generation, Fonteyn was later appointed Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the Royal"
"for the Royal Ballet include: First performing together with the Royal Ballet in Giselle on 21 February 1962, Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev would form what has been called the greatest ballet partnership of all time. The partnership would lead to both dancers being noted amongst the most famous ballet dancers of all time and came at the peak of what is now widely regarded as the most successful period in the Royal Ballet's history. On 12 March 1963, the couple premiered Sir Frederick Ashton's ""Marguerite and Armand"", the first ballet created for them and one that become their signature"
"of a masterwork"". The ballet was originally intended as a vehicle for The Royal Ballet's then prima ballerina, Margot Fonteyn and the title role of Ondine was choreographed specially for her and led one critic to describe the ballet as ""a concerto for Fonteyn"". From its première in 1958 until the work was removed from the repertoire in 1966, nearly every performance of ""Ondine"" saw Fonteyn cast in the lead role, with the only occasional exceptions seeing Nadia Nerina and Svetlana Beriosova dancing the role. Maria Almeida became the first ballerina to dance the role of Ondine in a revival,"
"major cultural event held annually. The Royal Ballet is one of the world's foremost classical ballet companies, its reputation built on two prominent figures of 20th century dance, ""prima ballerina"" Margot Fonteyn and choreographer Frederick Ashton. A staple of British seaside culture, the quarrelsome couple Punch and Judy made their first recorded appearance in Covent Garden, London in 1662. The various episodes of Punch and Judy are performed in the spirit of outrageous comedy — often provoking shocked laughter — and are dominated by the anarchic clowning of Mr. Punch. Regarded as British cultural icons, they appeared at a significant"
"named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He was married to fellow ballet dancer Dame Antoinette Sibley, but they eventually divorced. He later married ballet dancer Wendy Ellis. He died of a brain tumour in London in 1994. Michael Somes Michael George Somes CBE (28 September 191718 November 1994), was an English ballet dancer. He was a principal dancer of The Royal Ballet, London, and the frequent partner of Margot Fonteyn. Somes was born in Horsley, Gloucestershire, England. In 1934, he was awarded the first scholarship given to a male by the Royal Ballet (then known"
"held annually. The Royal Ballet is one of the world's foremost classical ballet companies, its reputation built on two prominent figures of 20th-century dance, ""prima ballerina"" Margot Fonteyn and choreographer Frederick Ashton. Irish dancing is popular in Northern Ireland and among the Irish diaspora throughout the UK; its costumes feature patterns taken from the medieval Book of Kells. A staple of British seaside culture, the quarrelsome couple Punch and Judy made their first recorded appearance in Covent Garden, London in 1662. The various episodes of Punch and Judy are performed in the spirit of outrageous comedy — often provoking shocked"
"Aurora in his production of ""The Sleeping Beauty"" in 1975. Evdokimova in turn became the prima ballerina of the Company under Grey's leadership and continued to reign under successive directors John Field and Peter Schaufuss. It was Evdokimova who suggested to change the name to English National Ballet to reflect the Company's role as Britain's only classical ballet company dedicated to touring ballets nationwide at an affordable price for audiences. The name change was implemented in 1989. Ivan Nagy (until 1993), Derek Deane (until 2001) and Matz Skoog (until 2006) directed the Company before Wayne Eagling, former head of Dutch"
"Ninette de Valois Dame Ninette de Valois (6 June 18988 March 2001) was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director of classical ballet, who began life in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, as Edris Stannus. Most notably, she danced professionally with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, later establishing the Royal Ballet, one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century and one of the leading ballet companies in the world. She also established the Royal Ballet School and the touring company which became the Birmingham Royal Ballet. She is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history"
"1938, starring Margot Fonteyn and Michael Somes, and it made stars of both principal dancers, but particularly Michael Somes, who was described by one critic as potentially the finest British male dancer of the half century. At that time Constant Lambert was conducting an affair with the young Margot Fonteyn, but they later separated. The ballet has been described as a symbolic representation of this affair. Other roles were danced by Richard Ellis and Alan Carter (the Gemini), and Pamela May (the Moon). The ballet was praised by the critics: Francis Toye called it ""... perhaps the most successful modern"
"Ballerina of ""The Ballet Club"", a company founded by Dame Marie Rambert. During this period, she was particularly noted for performing works by Frederick Ashton, who was unknown at the time, but would go on to become one of Britain's most celebrated choreographers. The Ballet Club was to be the first professional ballet company in the United Kingdom, later becoming known as the ""Ballet Rambert"". Now known as the Rambert Dance Company, it remains the oldest established dance company in the UK. In 1931, Ninette de Valois founded the ""Vic-Wells Ballet"" in premises at Sadler's Wells theatre in London. A"
"fact he designed the entire ballet as a tribute to Margot Fonteyn, a dancer with whom he worked. Clive Barnes, an American drama critic, noted, ""the whole ballet is a garland presented to the ballerina by her choreographer."" This ""garland"" was produced by The Royal Ballet and it was first performed at The Royal Opera House in London on September 3, 1952. Ashton also tweaked Barbier's libretto for the premiere to maximize interest in the story. Margot Fonteyn played the lead rôle of Sylvia when this version opened. Aminta was played by Michael Somes, Orion by John Hart and Eros"
"company. English National Ballet School has an associate programme, ENBS Juniors, for girls and boys aged 3 and up. Lucia Truglia was English National Ballet's first school principle. She was an amazing dancer, teacher & is quite simply an amazing lady. It is an honour to have been taught by her & to call her a very dear friend. Graham Tripp. English National Ballet School English National Ballet School is a specialist classical ballet school based in London in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1988, the school is the official associate school of English National Ballet, with many graduates becoming"
"repertoire made famous by the Imperial Russian Ballet. She also set about establishing a British repertory, engaging Frederick Ashton as Principal Choreographer and Constant Lambert as Musical Director in 1935. She also choreographed a number of her own ballets, including her most notable works, ""Job"" (1931), ""The Rake's Progress"" (1935) and ""Checkmate"" (1937). Eventually the company included many of the most famous ballet dancers in the world, including Margot Fonteyn, Robert Helpmann, Moira Shearer, Beryl Grey, and Michael Somes. In 1949 the Sadler Wells Ballet was a sensation when they toured the United States. Margot Fonteyn instantly became an international"
"Monica Mason Dame Monica Mason, , (born 6 September 1941) is a former ballet dancer, teacher, and artistic director of the Royal Ballet, England's foremost theatrical dance troupe. In more than fifty years with the company, she established a formidable reputation as a versatile performer, a skilled rehearsal director, and a capable administrator. Monica Margaret Mason was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, into a family of British ancestry. She studied ballet from a young age with Ruth Inglestone, Reina Berman, and Frank Staff in her home city and, later, with Nesta Brooking in London. As an advanced student, she entered"
"National Ballet of Canada One of the top international ballet companies, The National Ballet of Canada was founded in 1951 by Celia Franca. A company of 70 dancers with its own orchestra, the National Ballet has been led by Artistc Director Karen Kain, one of the greatest ballerinas of her generation, since 2005. Renowned for its diverse repertoire, the company performs traditional full-length classics, embraces contemporary work and encourages the creation of new ballets as well as the development of Canadian choreographers. The company’s repertoire includes works by Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, John Cranko, Rudolf Nureyev, John Neumeier, William"
"actor-manager. Booth died in 1733, but Santlow continued on the London stage for many years. She died in old age around 1773. Hester Santlow Hester Santlow (married name Hester Booth; c. 1690 – 1773) was a noted British dancer and actress, who has been called ""England's first ballerina"". She was influential in many spheres of theatrical life. Hester Santlow was born circa 1690, and by about 1705 had produced an illegitimate daughter named Harriot; the father was James Craggs. Harriot married firstly in 1726 Richard Eliot, having 9 children, including Edward Craggs-Eliot, 1st Baron Eliot, and secondly in 1749 to"
"Dame Margot Fonteyn. In 1977, he won the Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. Wall retired from The Royal Ballet in 1984 and was appointed a CBE. In 1985 Wall joined the Royal Academy of Dancing where he was Director and General Secretary until 1991. Following this he became Guest Repetiteur with London City Ballet, and joined English National Ballet as Ballet Master in 1995. There is a 1975 statue, ""Jete"" by Enzo Plazzotta based on David Wall, on the corner of 46-57 Millbank, Westminster, London. Wall married Alfreda Thorogood, a fellow dancer, in 1967. They first met"
"The Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the four major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in 1931 by Dame Ninette de Valois, it became the resident ballet company of the Royal Opera House in 1946 and was granted a royal charter in 1956, becoming recognised as Britain's flagship ballet company. The Royal Ballet was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century, and continues to be one of the world's most famous ballet"
"Tamara Karsavina Tamara Platonovna Karsavina (, 10 March 1885 – 26 May 1978) was a Russian prima ballerina, renowned for her beauty, who was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and later of the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev. After settling in Britain at Hampstead in London, she began teaching ballet professionally and became recognised as one of the founders of modern British ballet. She assisted in the establishment of The Royal Ballet and was a founder member of the Royal Academy of Dance, which is now the world's largest dance-teaching organisation. Tamara Karsavina was born in Saint"
"the BBC television adaptation of ""The Nutcracker"". Thanks to her international acclaim and many guest artist requests, the Royal Ballet allowed Fonteyn to become a freelance dancer in 1959. In 1961, when Fonteyn was considering retirement, Rudolf Nureyev defected from the Kirov Ballet while dancing in Paris. Fonteyn, though reluctant to partner with him because of their 19-year age difference, danced with him in his début with the Royal Ballet in ""Giselle"" on 21 February 1962. The duo immediately became an international sensation, each dancer pushing the other to their best performances. They were most noted for their classical performances"
"sole Trustee of his ballets upon his Will submission to The Surrogate’s Court of the State of New York in 1987. The Trust includes the following répétiterus: Diana Byer, John Gardner, Airi Hymninen, James Jordan, Donald Mahler, Amanda McKerrow, Christopher Newton, Kirk Peterson, David Richardson, Willy Shives, Lance Westwood, Celia Franca (in memoriam) and Sallie Wilson (in memoriam). Tara McBride is the Administrator for the trust. Antony Tudor Antony Tudor (4 April 1908 – 19 April 1987) was an English ballet choreographer, teacher and dancer. Tudor was born William Cook in London. He discovered dance accidentally. Tudor’s first exposure to"
"referred to the American ballerina Cynthia Gregory of the American Ballet Theatre as the nation's ""prima ballerina assoluta""; however this has never been formally acknowledged. Another not to hold the title is the great Anna Pavlova, probably the best known ballerina in history. In South Africa, the only ballerina granted the title ""prima ballerina assoluta"" (1984) was Phyllis Spira (1943–2008). Sylvie Guillem as well as Darcey Bussell at The Royal Ballet, London, are considered by some to belong in the league of ""assolutas"" and both were, until their retirement from ballet, principal guests artists of The Royal Ballet, which is"
"same. But I have added a chapter in an attempt to bring some unity into the features of Diaghileff's personality, some of which features are scattered about the book."" Tamara Karsavina Tamara Platonovna Karsavina (, 10 March 1885 – 26 May 1978) was a Russian prima ballerina, renowned for her beauty, who was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and later of the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev. After settling in Britain at Hampstead in London, she began teaching ballet professionally and became recognised as one of the founders of modern British ballet. She assisted in the establishment"
"Testimonies"", GoldenGate Edizioni, 2016. Violetta Elvin Violetta Elvin (born 3 November 1924) is a retired Russian prima ballerina and actress. In 1986, ""The Times"" described Elvin as “the only rival ever to give Dame Margot Fonteyn a run for her money”. Born Violetta Prokhorova on 3 November 1924 in Moscow, she graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet in 1942. Elvin was only 20 when she had already danced the leads in Swan Lake, Marius Petipa's Don Quixote and The Fountain of Bakhchisarai with the State Ballet of Tashkent. In 1945, she met and married British architect Harold Elvin in Moscow, and"