Prior to 1966 Flashcards
What was the British ballet scene like before the 1920s?
- Non existent, only Russian & French ballet
What year did Marie Rambert form her own company?
1920
How did she begin her ‘appreciation of collaboration and commissioning choreographers, composers and artists’
- She collaborated with Diaghilev, Stravinsky and the Ballet Russes
What year was ‘A Tragedy of Fashion’ premiered by Marie Rambert and her students?
- 1926
Who choreographed ‘A Tragedy of Fashion’?
- Frederick Ashton
Why was ‘A Tragedy of Fashion’ so significant?
- It is said that this piece marked the birth of British Ballet
- It was the beginning of the formation of Rambert Dance Company
What year was ‘The Ballet Club’ formed?
- 1930
What year did they starting using the name ‘Ballet Rambert’ instead?
- 1935
Where were they regularly performing?
- the Mercury Theatre in Notting Hill Gate
Why was there a change in audience from 1946 onwards?
- During WW2, the company became a full time touring company. They outgrew the Mercury Theatre and began performing at larger venues
- They often performed in factory canteens, to boost moral and contribute to the war effort
Describe the change in audience from 1946 onwards
- The small but knowledgeable audience of the Ballet Club was replaced by a more general audience, whose tastes were less adventurous
How did the company react to this change in audience?
- The company performed several classics, including: Giselle, Coppelia ect.
How did extensive touring impact the repertoire of the company?
- There was less time to create new work, so they performed classics instead
How did the repertoire of the company change in 1958?
- Norman Morrice created ‘Two Brothers’
–> This work heralded a tentative return to the innovative policies which has previously been the hallmark of Ballet Rambert
Describe ‘Two Brothers’ by Norman Morrice
- It was performed in Modern dress and dealt with a contemporary theme while still using traditional ballet vocabulary
