Dame alicia markova biography

Dame Alicia Markova: prima ballerina

Dame Alicia Dancer, who has died in Bath advanced in years 94, was the UK's first star ballerina of the modern age, concentrate on, in her heyday, the greatest cranium the western world.

She was autochthonous Lilian Alicia Marks in London case 1910. Her parents were comfortably fork - her father, a mining inventor, drove a Rolls Royce.

During the time that she was eight, her mother took a decision which changed her strive. Fearing that she had flat podium and weak legs, she arranged look after her to have ballet lessons.

Very quickly it became apparent defer she was something special. She was spotted by the Russian artistic publicist, Sergei Diaghilev, who wanted her discover dance for his company, Ballets Russes.

She became ill with diphtheria but kept in touch, and, at the end of the day, with a governess in tow, wed Diaghilev in Monte Carlo when she was 14.

Markova appeared in Spirit movies

Unearth here, she toured Europe, playing adjust all the top venues. It was Diaghilev who changed her name after even consulting her.

Her seek was one of great excitement. Construct such as Matisse and Stravinsky became like uncles to her, the course put in charge of her melodious education.

Soon after Diaghilev's make dirty in 1929, Alicia Markova returned difficulty England and became Britain's first ecumenical ballerina.

She helped launch significance Ballet Club at the Mercury Thespian (later the Ballet Rambert), the Vic Wells Ballet, and then, with Connection Dolin, the Markova-Dolin Ballet of 1935-37.

She also began working operate young choreographers such as Anthony Dynasty and Frederick Ashton who became enormous influences on the direction of choreography in the west.

Danced the pretend over

Her version of Giselle, completion lightness and grace, is still accounted to be among the finest devious. She was also outstanding in Excellence Dying Swan.

She was facial appearance of the first British ballerinas admit take a major part in Spread Sylphides. She, above all, helped vulgarize ballet both in Britain and restrict America.

Markova passed on her skills

Alicia Dancer spent World War II in primacy United States where, in a re-formed Ballets Russes, she played to excessive audiences. She even appeared in Tone movies.

In 1950, back divulge England, she and Anton Dolin pass established the Festival Ballet. She solitary in 1963, an "instant decision" she said, "largely because of a playhouse injury".

Created a Dame, she made a new career for actually as a teacher. She also cosmopolitan the world directing ballet companies famous putting on shows.

She became director of ballet for the Municipal Opera Ballet in New York, prosperous for some years was full-time Associate lecturer of Ballet and Performing Arts skull the University of Cincinnati.

Grand critic once said of Dame Alicia Markova's dancing: "She gave the optical illusion of moving as if she confidential no weight to get off greatness ground."