This Is Your Life: Ninette de Valois

Dame Ninette DE VALOIS DBE (1898-2001)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Dame Ninette de Valois, Irish-born dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of classical ballet, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the London home of dancer Frederick Ashton.

Ninette danced professionally with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in the 1920s, before establishling her own company, known as the Vic-Wells Ballet, which would, in time, become The Royal Ballet, one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century.

She also established the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Royal Ballet School. She is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of ballet and as the 'godmother' of English ballet.

programme details...

Edition No: 253
Subject No: 253
Broadcast date: Thu 9 Apr 1964
Broadcast time: 8.50-9.15pm
Recorded: Sun 5 Apr 1964
Venue: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Series: 9
Edition: 27

on the guest list...

Robert Helpmann
Phyllis Bedells
Jean Bedells
Jennifer Bedells
Dorothy Coxon
Violetta Elvin
Antonio Elvin
Sir Frederick Ashton
Antoinette Sibley
Lynn Seymour
Merle Park
Dame Margot Fonteyn
Rudolph Nureyev
Dame Adeline Genee
Alicia Markova

production team...

Researcher: Nickola Sterne
Writer: Nickola Sterne
Director: Michael Goodwin
Producer: Vere Lorrimer
Executive Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

with thanks to Anna Meadmore, curator of The Royal Ballet's White Lodge Museum, for her contribution to this page

related pages...

A Dancer's Life

from ballet to ballroom

The Big Red Book

the programme's icon

Alicia Markova

Interviews

Anna Meadmore, curator of The Royal Ballet's White Lodge Museum, discusses Ninette de Valois and her appearance on This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in April 2013

Ninette de Valois This Is Your Life Big Red Book

Photographs of Ninette de Valois This Is Your Life - and a photograph of Ninette de Valois's big red book

Series 9 subjects