'Madam' (Dame Ninette de Valois) Conducting a Class at the Royal Ballet (1959)

[wendyverdades]

Whoever you are go back to class. Don't count the cost or the levels you don't have right now. Dance. Dance some more. I am 50 got it 50 and just starting pointe. If an old broad like me can do it any one can!

[nickwallacesmith]

hi wendyverdades - all power to you! and stay up there on those points - it's all about going forward on your own terms and not comparing yourself - this is the approach i try to take to all things! cheers

[balletnut]

Hi Nick. Thanks for replying so quickly to my question. When you say you'll post it on my Youtube page, does this mean my favourites page?

Did you ever find the Pavlova videos?!

My name is Christine, by the way.

Nice to hear from you.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Christine, i just posted the british pathe URL on the 'channel comments' section of your You Tube homepage - hope you enjoy browsing about! i did find the Amanda McKerrow Pavlova re-constructions - really give a sense of these works - thanks for alerting me ... to what i have! LOL be in touch, best, nick

[balletnut]

Hi Nick, How on earth did you get this? You're SO, SO lucky.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi balletnut - it was on the main british pathe website - i can't add the URL to a comment cos the comment doesn't upload. i'll post it on your youtube home page - URLs tkae there. there are lots of things on the site you'd probably like, cheers, nick

[nickwallacesmith]

hi silkenthreaddance - how curious - i've had the exact same experience (as i now guess many many dancers do) of being stopped in the street, walking near a studio from where that particular piano sound is emanating! i get goose bumps!

[nickwallacesmith]

hi silkenthreaddance - for me it's the smell of the studio - i think the olfactory is the most powerful sense by far - still have old slippers and warmers ... can't seem to throw them away!

[Buondelmonte123]

It's Desmond Doyle partnering Merle Park at the end of the clip. I didn't see Beryl Grey there, though you can catch sight of the very young Antoinette Sibley and Julia Farron is there also, with the curly hair, all in white.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Buondelmonte123 - thanks very much for pointing desmond doyle out - when i was a kid in london, he was playing character roles - nice to see him in another capacity - and i missed julia farron - she did queen mother roles in my time - and a very elegant one too! i love these clips for their spot the dancer quality, cheers!

[Buondelmonte123]

Nureyev danced Black Swan with Rosella Hightower at the RAD matinee.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Buondelmonte123 - often wondered who he partnered as he didn't partner margot at that benefit, thanks for that.

[opensecret51]

I engoyed this post...It is nice also to see a moment of special Royal Atmosphere in the ceremony of ribbon cutting.. very impressive the attentivness and orchestration is given to the moment of opening the door..it is opened only at the exact moment... the moment Princess Margaret was ready ... very elegant and specific moment ...

[nickwallacesmith]

@opensecret51 - glad you liked the post! yes, the british have a particular way with ceremony and occasion - princess margaret at times here looks ver like queen elizabeth, particularly when she smiles

[nickwallacesmith]

hi pediatrapaola - david blair retired in the early 70s (i saw his final performance in 'fille mal gardee') so he would probably looked a bit older in the 60s - he had a squarer face and darker hair. what do you think?

[pediatrapaola]

@nickwallacesmith INFACT REMOVED MY COMMENT ,I WAS WRONG BUT THE FACE REMIND ME SOME DANCER I HAVE ON FRONTESPICE OF A 60'S OLD DANCE AND DANCERS MAGAZINE IN MY ENDLESS COLLECTION ,NOW MUST CHECK IT.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi pediatrapaola - the face seems familiar to me too

[Qbendanny]

I LOVE this post. I noticed Beryl at the barre also. That's definitely Merle Park, she was a technical whiz ahead of her time. Too bad Margot wasn't there.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Qbendanny - glad you like it! missed seeing beryl! thanks for pointing her out. and thanks for confirming merle - thinner later in her career. yes, i wonder what margot was up to? maybe on tour with rudi by this time?

[Qbendanny]

@nickwallacesmith - I'm not sure they had met yet at this time...

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Qbendanny - they did their first 'giselle' in early 1962, and as it was late (we thought!) in fonteyn's career, i suspect the touring began quite soon after - everyone everywhere wanted to see them - so maybe they'd met, but not sure of the dates - depends i guess when this footage here dates to - what do you think the year might be?

[Qbendanny]

@nickwallacesmith - Isn't there a specific date when Rudy called Margot to ask her to dance at that historic matinee? As for the film, Pathe should provide that, can you trace and analize this question? I would love to know.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Qbendanny - it was planned that margot dance with rudi at a charity matinee but it didn't happen - i think fonteyn was a bit apprehensive about dancing with someone so much younger - their first giselles were on 21 February - this is getting very sherlock holmes like - LOL! the issue i guess was the date of the ballet class i posted was held - i went to pathe (thanks for this suggestion) and it was 1959 - so they'd not met! we're a couple of sleuths!

[Qbendanny]

@nickwallacesmith -You are correct I had forgotten that they didn't actually dance at that Matinee. My hunch was right, I just felt from the footage that they had not met.The performance DID take place and Rudy did dance though didn't he? Was it a DonQ with Beriosova, or Arova?

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Qbendanny - yes, you were right that they'd not met - and right too that rudi did dance that day but it was solo by ashton - "Poeme Tragique" - with a red scarf which people thought had some political meaning - he danced the Black Swan PDD with don't know with whom - he partnered beriosova for a bit cos their styles were thought to be similar - there's a 'diane and acteon' ballet with them on you tube as 'Rudolf Nureyev & Svetlana Beriosova'

[Qbendanny]

@nickwallacesmith - Correct. It was Black Swan (probably with Beriosova) and the Ashton piece I have never seen. I had forgotten that Kruschev had signed an order for the KGB to have him killed. It was bad for him and worse for the others in the company who were watched 24/7.