Maryon Lane
Encyclopedia
Maryon Lane was a principal Ballerina with the Royal Ballet
, South Africa
. She studied in Johannesburg
and in 1946 went to the Sadler's Wells School in London
after winning a scholarship from the Royal Academy of Dancing. In the year afterward, she became a member of Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, founded by Ninette de Valois
. It was at this point in her life that she changed her name to Maryon Lane as the theatre had another South African dancer called Patricia Miller.
Aged seventeen, Lane had risen rapidly to become the principal soloist at the theatre, starring in ballets by Frederick Ashton
and Ninette De Valois
. By 1953, she was given the ballerine role in Coppélia
and helped to create new ballets, particularly those of Kenneth MacMillan
. In 1953, she was cast by MacMillan in his very first creation, Somnambulism, and in the following year, she was given the lead role of the ugly little clown in Laiderette, set to the music of the Swiss composer Frank Martin
. In 1955 she was again the principle in Danses concertantes set to a score by Stravinsky's score. The ballet was immediately successful and De Valois transferred it to Covent Garden
.
By the time she was starring in Covent Garden, she had married her former Royal Ballet colleague David Blair
, who had recently been promoted as Margot Fonteyn
's partner. In 1960 their twin daughters were born. In 1968 she left the companybut made guest appearances, also with Festival Ballet and Ballet Rambert. She later worked as a teacher with the Royal Ballet and Ballet Rambert and then with other companies, schools and seminars.
Middle aged, she moved to Cyprus
and founded her own small school in Kyrenia
, inviting former colleagues to visit as guest teachers.
Biography
Maryon Lane was born Patricia Mills on February 15, 1931 in ZululandNatal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. She studied in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
and in 1946 went to the Sadler's Wells School in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
after winning a scholarship from the Royal Academy of Dancing. In the year afterward, she became a member of Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, founded by Ninette de Valois
Ninette de Valois
Dame Ninette de Valois, OM, CH, DBE, FRAD, FISTD was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of classical ballet...
. It was at this point in her life that she changed her name to Maryon Lane as the theatre had another South African dancer called Patricia Miller.
Aged seventeen, Lane had risen rapidly to become the principal soloist at the theatre, starring in ballets by Frederick Ashton
Frederick Ashton
Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues.-Early life:Ashton was born at...
and Ninette De Valois
Ninette de Valois
Dame Ninette de Valois, OM, CH, DBE, FRAD, FISTD was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of classical ballet...
. By 1953, she was given the ballerine role in Coppélia
Coppélia
Coppélia is a sentimental comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter and music by Léo Delibes. It was based upon two macabre stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Sandmann , and Die Puppe...
and helped to create new ballets, particularly those of Kenneth MacMillan
Kenneth MacMillan
Sir Kenneth MacMillan was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He was artistic director of the Royal Ballet in London between 1970 and 1977.-Early years:...
. In 1953, she was cast by MacMillan in his very first creation, Somnambulism, and in the following year, she was given the lead role of the ugly little clown in Laiderette, set to the music of the Swiss composer Frank Martin
Frank Martin (composer)
Frank Martin was a Swiss composer, who lived a large part of his life in the Netherlands.-Childhood and youth:...
. In 1955 she was again the principle in Danses concertantes set to a score by Stravinsky's score. The ballet was immediately successful and De Valois transferred it to Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
.
By the time she was starring in Covent Garden, she had married her former Royal Ballet colleague David Blair
David Blair (dancer)
David Blair was a renowned British ballet dancer and a leading star of the Royal Ballet company in London during the 1950s and 1960s....
, who had recently been promoted as Margot Fonteyn
Margot Fonteyn
Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE , was an English ballerina of the 20th century. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time...
's partner. In 1960 their twin daughters were born. In 1968 she left the companybut made guest appearances, also with Festival Ballet and Ballet Rambert. She later worked as a teacher with the Royal Ballet and Ballet Rambert and then with other companies, schools and seminars.
Middle aged, she moved to Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and founded her own small school in Kyrenia
Kyrenia
Kyrenia is a town on the northern coast of Cyprus, noted for its historic harbour and castle. Internationally recognised as part of the Republic of Cyprus, Kyrenia has been under Turkish control since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974...
, inviting former colleagues to visit as guest teachers.
Other starring roles
Maryon Lane also starred in:- The Sleeping Beauty
- La Fille Mal GardéeLa Fille Mal GardéeLa Fille mal gardée is a comic ballet presented in two acts, inspired by Pierre-Antoine Baudouin's 1789 painting, La réprimande/Une jeune fille querellée par sa mère...
by Frederick AshtonFrederick AshtonSir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues.-Early life:Ashton was born at...
's as a LiseLise*Lise-village in Široki Brijeg municipality*Lise is a variant of Lisa:*Lise Meitner*Lise Mayer*Lise Myhre , Norwegian cartoonist*Lise Thériault*Lise Thibault*Lise McCleerey international real estate trainerIt may also refer to:*Claude Lise...
. - Pineapple PollPineapple PollPineapple Poll is a Gilbert and Sullivan-inspired comic ballet, created by choreographer John Cranko with arranger Sir Charles Mackerras. Pineapple Poll is based on "The Bumboat Woman's Story", one of W. S. Gilbert's Bab Ballads, written in 1870. The Gilbert and Sullivan opera H.M.S. Pinafore was...
by John CrankoJohn CrankoJohn Cyril Cranko was a choreographer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet.... - Mam'zelle Angot by Léonide Massine as Mam'zelle Angot.
- PetrushkaPetrushkaPetrouchka or Petrushka is a ballet with music by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, composed in 1910–11 and revised in 1947....
by Mikhail Fokine as a vapid doll.