History of British Ballet
From the Diaghilev era up to Frederick Ashton.
Learning Objectives:
•Develop your understanding of
the history of British Ballet.
•Develop your knowledge of the
two pioneering company's of
British Ballet.
Homework:
•Compare and contrast the two
founding company’s of British
Ballet.
The end of the Diaghilev era
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ballet Russes was established in 1909, the company
performed up until his death in 1929.
Property was claimed by creditors.
Two new companies formed:
Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo: Colonel Wassily De Basil
& Rene Blum, Choreographers -George Balachine &
Leonide Massine
Original Ballet Russe: Rene Blum
World War II - Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo toured
America extensively.
Original Ballet Russe toured Europe.
Many dancers went off and taught in America and
Europe.
Ballet Rambert and Sadlers Wells Company both picked
key memebers of Ballet Russes.
This led to the founding of the Carmogo Society in
London.
Key Facts
• Diaghilev died in 1929.
• Ballet Russes became split into 2
companies:
Ballets Russses de Monte Carlo: De
Basil – toured America
Original Ballet Russe: Blum – toured
Europe
• The split of Ballet Russes found the
Carmogo Society in London – Ninette
de Valois & Marie Rambert were
members.
Marie Rambert
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Polish-Jewish dancer/teacher.
Assisted Nijinska in Ballet Russes ‘The Rite of Spring’ 1913.
Stayed with Ballet Russes for a season as a dancer in the corps.
Studied in Cecchetti ballet.
Founder of Ballet Rambert the first British ballet company.
1920 opened ballet school – from this emerged a small performing
group in 1926 – Marie Rambert Dancers (Ballet Rambert in 1935).
Nurtured many of Britain’s most important choreographers –
Ashton, Tudor, Howard, Staff, Gore, Morrice and Cranko.
An inspired talent scout and known as a bully.
Her school produced many renowned dancers – Argyle, Gould, Lloyd,
Franca, Gilmour, Aldous and Turner.
Productions represented her wit, taste, and sharp instinct for
trends.
Key Facts
• Marie Rambert – founder of first
British ballet company.
• 1920: Opened ballet school.
• 1926: Marie Rambert Dancers – small
performing group.
• 1935: Changed company name to
Ballet Rambert.
• Productions represent her wit, taste
and sharp instinct for trends.
Ballet Rambert
• Based at London’s Mercury Theatre
• Performed in the London Ballet at the Arts Club – 1940-1.
• 1943 – Regarded as a national touring company with public
funding.
• After the war the company staged its first full length
classic – Giselle (1932).
• During the 1950’s due to the response of the public’s
change in taste – it was increasingly forced to tour small
scale productions of 19th century ballets rather than new
work.
• In 1966 under direction of Norman Morrice the company
abandoned its classical roots and became a small scale
modern dance troupe.
Key Facts
• Company was based at London’s
Mercury Theatre.
• 1932: Staged its first full length
ballet – Giselle
• 1939-45: Touring became important
after the outbreak of the war.
• 1943: Regarded as a national
touring company with public
funding.
Ballet Rambert
• 1950’s: public response changed the company was
increasingly forced to tour 19th century ballets rather
than new work.
• 1966: Norman Morrice took over direction, he
abandened its classical roots and became a modern
dance company.
• Eventually they altered the name to Rambert Dance
Company in 1987.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Works:
A Tradegy of Fashion 1926 Frederick Ashton
L’Apres Midi d’un Faune 1931 Vaslav Nijinsky
Facade 1931 Frederick Ashton
Giselle 1932 Frederick Ashton
Fayer de danse 1932 Frederick Ashton
Les Masques 1933 Frederick Ashton
The Mermaid 1934 Andree Howard & Susan Salaman
Ninette de Valois
• Founded the Choreographic Art Academy.
• Britains National Ballet Company – Royal Ballet.
• 1931 de valois moved her school into the newly re-opened
Sadler’s Wells Theatre and established a small company of
dancers.
• First performance at Old Vic Theatre 5th May 1931.
• First performance at Sadler’s wells 15th May 1931.
• 1935 based solely at Sadler’s wells.
• Ashton joined in 1933 as choreographer and dancer – in 1931 he
choreographed Regatta as guest choreographer.
• Internationally renowned choreographers like Massine,
Balanchine and Petit began staging works for the company – such
as Le Tricorne (1947), Ballet Imperial (1950), and Ballabile
(1950).
Key Facts
• Founded the Choreographic Art
Academy.
• Britain’s National Ballet Company –
Royal Ballet.
• 1931: move her school into the
newly re-opened Sadler’s Wells
Theatre.
• 1935: Became solely based on the
Sadler’s Wells.
Royal Ballet
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sadlers Wells larger company
Established reputation before
the war with: Checkmate 1937
De Valois & Horoscope 1938
Ashton.
The company split – Royal Ballet
& Sadlers Wells Ballet
(Birmingham Royal Ballet)
In 1946 became a resident at
the Royal Opera House in Covent
Garden.
In 1990 Sadlers Wells Ballet
moved to Birmingham
Hippodrome.
In 1997 Birmingham Royal Ballet
became independent of the
Royal Opera House.
De
Valois her choreography was
‘nothing like the talent of
Ashton’ (Anderson, Z. 2006:5)
Ashton created over 100 original
ballet works and numerous
other productions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A Month in the Country
Cinderella
Dante Sonata
La Fille mal gardée
Les Patinoires
Regatta
Romeo and Juliet
Symphonic Variations
The Dream
Key Facts
• Royal Ballet was a much larger
company than Rambert.
• Established a reputation before the
war with:
Checkmate (1937) Ninette de Valois
Horoscope (1938) Frederick Ashton
• Company split into 2: Royal Ballet &
Sadler’s Wells Ballet.
• 1990: Sadler’s Wells Ballet moved to
Birmingham Hippodrome and was
renamed to Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Cinderella
Royal ballet
1948
Frederick Ashton
First 3 Act ballet
‘Ashton made classical dances of
strange, expressive force’
(Anderson, Z. 2006:98).
• Cinderella’s arrival at the ball.
•
•
•
•
•
The Ballet Club Era
• Private ran organisation established by
Ashley Dukes.
• 1933 – Licensed as the Mercury Theatre.
• 1930’s Royal Ballet and Ballet Rambert
were interlinked – De Valois did not train
males until mid 1930’s.
• De Valois frequently hired male dancers
from Rambert.
• Performed once or twice a week, both
founders avoided clashes over their
respective performances.
Historical Context
• By 1928 all women over 21 were given the vote.
• 1928 –The first ‘talkie’ film with dialogue is shown in Britain.
• In 1930 over 2 million people in Britain were unemployed and
remained so until 1936.
• During the strife torn period there were 2 police strikes, a
national rail strike, 2 national coal strikes, a 2 month ship
builders strike, a 2 month engineering strike and violent
demonstrations by the jobless.
• The working class became unionised, and labour relations
deteriorated. The culmination was the General Strike in May
1926, when some 2 million key workers went on strike over
plans to reduce wages and lengthen working hours.