Uploaded March 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
There is not a great deal of film of Svetlana Beriosova in performance so it was wonderful when a very kind friend sent me the movie with this solo.
Robert Helpmann also dances in the movie, joining the ballerina at the end of her solo. He makes a fine job of performing with his long devil’s tail!
It may be Helpmann’s last dance appearance on film.
IMDb says of the movie:
“A combination of story, melodrama and ballet sets the stage for some of Stravinsky's most brilliant music. This terrific film adaption of The Soldier's Tale offers rare footage of the Royal Ballet's Svetlana Beriosova, who performs in an extended dance sequence towards the story's end. Meanwhile, Robert Helpmann is in his element as the Devil, being the natural choice to play the eight different roles of the Devil using his brilliant talent for mime, dance and acting. Actor Brian Phelan does a fine job as the hapless soldier.”
There is not a great deal of film of Svetlana Beriosova in performance so it was wonderful when a very kind friend sent me the movie with this solo.
Robert Helpmann also dances in the movie, joining the ballerina at the end of her solo. He makes a fine job of performing with his long devil’s tail!
It may be Helpmann’s last dance appearance on film.
IMDb says of the movie:
“A combination of story, melodrama and ballet sets the stage for some of Stravinsky's most brilliant music. This terrific film adaption of The Soldier's Tale offers rare footage of the Royal Ballet's Svetlana Beriosova, who performs in an extended dance sequence towards the story's end. Meanwhile, Robert Helpmann is in his element as the Devil, being the natural choice to play the eight different roles of the Devil using his brilliant talent for mime, dance and acting. Actor Brian Phelan does a fine job as the hapless soldier.”

![Mark Freeman as Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet’ (Royal Ballet 1984)
There is very little footage of Royal Ballet dancer Mark Freeman.
On the night Romeo and Juliet’ were filmed with Royal Ballet in 1984, Stephen Sheriff was down for Mercutio but was replaced by Mark Freeman at short notice, after Sheriff handed in his resignation, but before he left the company. So it was by chance that Mark was filmed in this role.
Mark performed at the Friends of Covent Garden Xmas Party in 1981 - a number from the Hot Shoe Show with Bryony Brind, Anthony Dowson, Mark Freeman, Stephen Sherriff and Philip Broomhead https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObbhnyO0vkE
Of his distinctiveness as a dancers, I was told ”On one occasion [Mark Freeman] was the wolf in the Red Riding Hood divertissement - full head mask and no programme credit - but there was something about his bearing and presence which told me who it was; he was surprised that he could be recognised.”
The dancer later went to a West End production of ‘Brigadoon’.
Enjoy! Mark Freeman as Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet’ (Royal Ballet 1984)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/n9VarowpkUw/mqdefault.jpg)



![Stanley Holden - Clog Dance from La Fille Mal Gardee (1960) [2]
Stanley Holden - Clog Dance from La Fille Mal Gardee (1960) [2] Stanley Holden - Clog Dance from La Fille Mal Gardee (1960) [2]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ng6IoHfco1k/mqdefault.jpg)




