A Favourite Ballerina in Act 2 of ‘Swan Lake’ John Hall 2026-09-29 | A Favourite Ballerina in Act 2 of ‘Swan Lake’
Darcey Bussell and Irek Mukhamedov - A Kenneth MacMillan Pas de Deux John Hall 2024-09-18 | Kenneth MacMillan created this Pas de Deux in 1990 for the celebratory concert for the Queen Mother’s 90th Birthday.The choreographer set the pas de deux to two Tchaikovsky Romances.
Alexander Grant - A solo: ‘The Sailor’ John Hall 2024-08-10 | The solo was originally choreographed by Sir Frederick Ashton for Walter Gore for his 1931 ballet ‘A Day in the Southern Port’ for the Camargo Society which lead to The Ballet Club and The Vic Wells Ballet.
Facade Rehearsal with Jill Gregory John Hall 2024-02-26 | I love the swaying movement of the hips.Chore Sir Frederick AshtonMusic Sir William Walton
Alicia Markova - ‘This is Your Life’ (1960) With Margot Fonteyn and Jessie Matthews John Hall 2024-02-16 | In the first section, Fonteyn graciously recalls, at thirteen years old, seeing Markova and recognising her the ideal of a ballerina and the impossibility of achieving such an ideal.In the second section, there seems some tension between the two stars: when Markova is asked if she recalls at aged ten who she appeared with in Dick Whittington as Salome, she replies “My understudy?” And when Matthews recalls seeing Markova in her dressing room after a performance of ‘Giselle’, she said the ballerina probably didn’t recognise her and just sat there “with a vacant smile on your face”. Does anyone know about frictions that may have existed between the two?
‘The Two Pigeons’ Doreen Wells and David Wall John Hall 2024-02-16 | This snippet comes from the documentary about the ballerina called ‘Doreen Wells - The Miracle of Spoleto’. Wells talks to camera about the ballet.
Suzanne Farrell and Sean Lavery - ‘Chaconne (Chore George Balanchine) John Hall 2024-02-06 | ‘Chaconne' is one of a suite of dances set to music from Gluck's opera 'Orphee et Euridice'This footage is taken from PBS Gala of Stars 1983 (Upgraded sound)
Natalia Makarova and Gary Chryst - ‘Begin the Beguine’ John Hall 2024-02-06 | Music by Cole Porter.Chore by Peter GennaroThe footage is taken from the PBS Gala of Stars 1984 with Upgraded Sound.
Natalia Makarova and Richard Cragun - Proust (1984) John Hall 2024-02-06 | The choreographer of this ballet is Roland Petit.The footage is taken from the PBS Gala of Stars 1984 with Upgraded Sound.
Rudolph Nureyev - Entr’acte Solo from the End of Act 2 of ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ John Hall 2024-02-05 | Music is provided by Yehudi Menuhin (violin obbligato) and James Levine with the American Symphony Orchestra.The footage is taken from the PBS Gala of Stars 1982 with Upgraded Sound.
Natalia Makarova and Alexander Godunov - ‘Don Quixote’ Pas De Deux John Hall 2024-02-05 | The footage is taken from the PBS Gala of Stars 1980 with Upgraded Sound.
‘La Fille Mal Gardee - Ronald Emblen ‘The Clog Dance’ - David Wall & Wendy Ellis The Lovers’ PDD’ John Hall 2024-01-24 | I've posted this footage before but this has a lovely introduction by Dame Margot Fonteyn and is much better quality.
Robert Helpmann - ‘Checkmate (1986) John Hall 2023-10-30 | Choreography is by Ninette de ValoisMusic is by Arthur BlissHelpmann took the role of The Red King.
Margot Fonteyn and Robert Helpmann - Fish Dives from ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ (1936) John Hall 2023-10-29 | It’s lovely hearing Fonteyn talking about what she learned from Helpmann about stagecraft - about how she to get the audience’s attention when there was someone with great charisma as a partner.
Margot Fonteyn - ‘The Merry Widow’ (1976) John Hall 2023-10-29 | This video shows little bits of the ballerina’s performance with the Australian Ballet, and the curtain call at the end of the performance with Robert Helpmann.Scenario: Robert HelpmannChoreographer: Ronal HyndMusic: Franz LeharLovely to have Fonteyn talking about the ballet and Robert Helpmann’s involvement.
Margot Fonteyn and Mikhail Baryshnikov - Le Spectre de la Rose John Hall 2023-09-16 | It’s extraordinary to see Fonteyn late in her career dance in this famous Mikhail Fokine work, made such by Tamara Karsavina and Vaslav Nijinsky.At this time, she also danced The Ballerina role in ‘Petrushka’, again with Baryshnikov - footage of which I have also posted on YouTube.
David Wall and Wendy Ellis - The Ribbon Dance from ‘La Fille Mal Gardee John Hall 2023-09-16 | This is performance and rehearsal footage - I do not have a date for these films - probably late 1970s early 1980s? Can anyone confirm?The rehearsal footage is conducted by Michael Somes. Wendy Ellis was his third wife - the dancer having been previously married to Deirdre Annette Dixon and Dame Antoinette Sibley.
Darcey Bussell - Cinderella Segments John Hall 2023-07-18 | At the beginning of the video, you hear Darcey Bussell's mother describe how her daughter was received when she first went to White Lodge
Serge Lifar, Liane Daydé - Pas de Deux from Suite en blanc John Hall 2023-06-05 | Can someone identify the ballet from which this pas de deux comes?
The Tango from Facade John Hall 2023-03-25 | Sir Frederick Ashton and Moira Shearer - The Tango from 'Facade'There is a photo of the pair in the ballet which has the caption:"Friends of Covent Garden, Christmas evening rehearsal, Royal Opera House, London, Sunday 17th December 1967. Ballerina, Moira Shearer, comes out of retirement to dance at a special single performance at the Friends of Covent Garden Christmas evening, she danced the tango from Facade with Sir Frederick Ashton, her first stage appearance for 15 years, she wore her original costume in the dance".
Gerd Larsen - Teaching at the Royal Ballet (1980) 2 - EXTENDED FOOTAGE John Hall 2023-03-10 | This is footage of Norwegian-born Gerd Larsen teaching at the Royal Ballet in 1980.I used to see Larsen at Covent Garden in mime roles - such as the Nurse in ‘Romeo and Juliet - and had no sense of the strength and determination of her character, as revealed here I think.The ballerina was married to Harold Turner from 1944 until his death in 1962. They had one child together, a daughter, Solveig, born in 1952.The momentary talking head is of course Dame Ninette de Valois.Enjoy!
Invitation To The Waltz (1935) - Anton Dolin and Lilian Harvey JRH John Hall 2023-02-02 | Anton Dolin appeared in a number of Hollywood films, with his last appearance being as Enrico Cecchetti in the 1980 film ‘Nijinsky’.In this video, he partners Lilian Harvey in the dance sequence in the movie 'Invitation To The Waltz' (1935).The music is Carl Maria von Weber’s score used for the ballet ‘Le Spectre de la Rose’, choreographed by Mikhail Fokine.
Theodore Kosloff as The Spirit of Electricity’ in Cecil B de Mille’s Madam Satan (1930) John Hall 2023-01-22 | Theodore Kosloff was a Ballets Russes Dancer who danced the part of 'The Spirit of Electricity’ in the dance sequence ‘Ballet Mecanique’ of Cecil B de Mille’s 'Madam Satan' (1930)
Dance Sequence with Moira Shearer from Peeping Tom (Dir Michael Powell 1960) John Hall 2023-01-19 | This excerpt from the movie shows the ballerina’s talents as an actor as well as a dancer.And it demonstrates Shearer’s versatility, here taking on a modern dance style.The film revolves around a serial killer who murders women while using a portable film camera to record their dying expressions of terror.
Sono Osato - The Singing and Dancing Sequence from The Kissing Bandit (1948) John Hall 2022-07-28 | ...
Sono Osato - Some Less Than Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo Moves John Hall 2022-07-27 | This is some show-ground belly dancing from Sono Osato, with the gum chewing being an added bonus!It comes from 'The Hanging Acrobat' (1951) episode from the television series 'The Adventures of Ellery Queen’.Osato began her career at the age of fourteen with the Ballets Russe de Monte-Carlo. She later danced with American Ballet Theatre (then Ballet Theatre). While at ABT, she danced roles in such ballets as Kenneth MacMillan's Sleeping Beauty, Antony Tudor's Pillar of Fire, and Bronislava Nijinska's The Beloved. As a musical theater performer, her Broadway credits included principal dancer in One Touch of Venus (Donaldson Award), Ivy Smith in the original On the Town, and Cocaine Lil in "Ballet Ballads".In the late 1940s and 1950s, Osato briefly pursued a career as an actress, appearing on Broadway in Peer Gynt, in the film The Kissing Bandit, and in occasional guest appearances on TV series such as, The Adventures of Ellery Queen (1950).
Lyn Seymour and Adam Cooper - The Step Mother and Pilot (Prince Charming) in ‘Cinderella’ John Hall 2022-06-28 | This footage shows Matthew Bourne preparing Lyn Seymour and Adam Cooper for the roles of The Step Mother and Pilot (Prince Charming) in his 1997 production of 'Cinderella'. This preparation is followed by some performance film.
Frederick Ashton Prepares Two Dancers at the National Ballet of Canada for ’Two Pigeons’ (1961) John Hall 2022-06-27 | Frederick Ashton Prepares Two Dancers in the National Ballet of Canada for ’Two Pigeons’ (1961)Also present at the rehearsal are Alexander Grant (Director of the National Ballet of Canada) and Lyn Wallis (Choreologist)It’s fascinating seeing Ashton demonstrate how he would like steps doneCan anyone identify the two Canadian dancers in this rehearsal?
Checkmate (1963) - Robert Helpmann and Beryl Grey PLUS Beryl Grey Teaching Darcy Bussell John Hall 2022-06-24 | 'Checkmate' was choreographed by Ninette de Valois in 1937 to music composed by Arthur Bliss. It was created for the Vic-Wells Ballet.The original cast was comprised of: • June Brae (Black Queen) • Harold Turner (Red Knight) • Michael Somes (Black Knight) • Frederick Ashton (Death) • Robert Helpmann (Red King) • Pamela May (Red Queen) • Margot Fonteyn (leader of the Black Pawns) • Annabel Farjeon (a pawn)
Svetlana Beriosova - A solo from the film ‘The Soldiers Tale’ (1964) John Hall 2022-03-15 | 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.”
David Wall and Lynn Seymour - Bedroom Scene Pas De Deux from Romeo and Juliet John Hall 2022-03-13 | I was lucky to see David and Lynn together in the ballet - my program tells me it was on 3 August 1973.As we all know, the ballet was choreographed on Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable and Lynn gives a completely satisfying and definitive reading of Juliet.
Daphnis and Chloe - Jennifer Penney, Mark Silver, and Dancers of the Royal Ballet John Hall 2022-03-09 | There is not a lot of footage of Jennifer Penney (or in fact Mark Silver) in performance so any film is good to see. I’m wondering if anyone saw this cast in performance?
Symphonic Variations - Fragment of Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev Rehearsing the Ballet (1962) John Hall 2022-03-09 | ...
Margot Fonteyn - Fragment of a Solo from Sylvia (1952) John Hall 2022-03-09 | The talking head here is Marianela Nuñez.Has anyone seen more footage of Fonteyn in this ballet?
Mark Freeman as Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet’ Royal Ballet (1984) LONG VERSION John Hall 2022-01-17 | 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 youtube.com/watch?v=ObbhnyO0vkEOf 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’.
The Identity of a Ballerina and her Partner in ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ (Royal Ballet, Mid 1930s) John Hall 2021-11-20 | This footage of Margot Fonteyn in ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ dates to the mid 1930s, given Aurora's headgear with its big triangular shapes, seen in dated photographs in Keith Money's 'Margot Fonteyn - the Making of a Legend’ and elsewhere.For some reason I am curious to identify two dancers in this footage, seen picked out in the red square in the still before the film.Perhaps Mary Honer and Harold Turner?I had initially considered Alexis Rassine but he did not join the Sadler's Wells Ballet till 1942.If it were Mary Honer and Harold Turner, it would be the only footage of the two performing.
Birthday Offering - Royal Ballet (1962) John Hall 2021-11-19 | The cast for this recording of the ballet is Antoinette Sibley, Nadia Nerina, Georgina Parkinson, Svetlana Beriosova, Anya Linden, Annette Page.It’s good to see even a snippet of Anya Linden performing as there is so little of her dancing on film.
Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin - Excerpts from Act 1 of ‘Giselle’ (1943) John Hall 2021-11-10 | This colour footage was recorded on a tour of the USA with Ballet Theatre.The talking head is Clement Crisp, Dance critic of the ‘Financial Times’. Crisp describes what he saw as the great qualities of the ballerina.
Rudolph Nureyev - Rehearsal Footage of The Sleeping Beauty John Hall 2021-10-06 | This rehearsal footage was recorded late in Nureyev's career.I think I know the opera house where it was filmed but I just want to confirm this.
