Alicia Markova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alicia Markova
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Alicia Markova in 1940
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Lilian Alicia Marks
1 December 1910 Finsbury Park, London, United Kingdom
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| Died | 2 December 2004 (aged 94) Bath, Somerset, United Kingdom
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| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Ballerina |
| Title | Prima ballerina assoluta |
Dame Alicia Markova DBE (born 1 December 1910 – died 2 December 2004) was a famous British ballerina. She was also a choreographer, director, and teacher of classical ballet. Many people think she was one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of the 1900s.
She was very well known for her time with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. She also toured all over the world. Alicia Markova was the first British dancer to become the main dancer of a ballet company. She and Dame Margot Fonteyn are the only two English dancers called a prima ballerina assoluta. This is the highest honor for a ballerina. Markova helped start the Rambert Dance Company, The Royal Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre. She also co-founded and directed the English National Ballet.
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Early Life and First Steps in Dance
Alicia Markova was born Lilian Alicia Marks on 1 December 1910. Her father, Arthur, was Jewish, and her mother, Eileen, became Jewish. The family lived in a small flat in Finsbury Park, London.
Alicia started dancing because doctors thought it would make her stronger. She had weak limbs as a child. She first performed on stage when she was ten years old. She played Salome in a show called Dick Whittington and His Cat. People called her "Little Alicia, the child Pavlova." She began learning ballet from Princess Serafina Astafieva. Astafieva was a Russian ballerina who lived in London. She used to dance with the famous Ballets Russes company. Astafieva taught many important British dancers. A blue plaque now marks where her old studio was.
A Star is Born: Dancing with Diaghilev
When Alicia was 13, Sergei Diaghilev saw her dance. He was visiting London to find new dancers for his company. He asked her to join the Ballets Russes in Monte Carlo. She joined them in 1925, just after her 14th birthday. Because she was so young, some dances were made just for her. She also performed in many different new and old ballets. During this time, she met famous artists. These included Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Igor Stravinsky.
After Diaghilev: New Beginnings
Diaghilev died in 1929. After this, Markova went back to England. She became the main dancer for a new group called The Ballet Club. This company was started by Dame Marie Rambert. Here, she became known for dancing in works by Frederick Ashton. He was not famous then, but he became one of Britain's best choreographers. The Ballet Club was the first professional ballet company in the United Kingdom. It later became the Ballet Rambert, and is now the Rambert Dance Company. It is the oldest dance company in the UK.
In 1931, Ninette de Valois started the Vic-Wells Ballet. This company was at Sadler's Wells in London. Ninette de Valois had also danced with Diaghilev. She asked Markova to join as one of the first dancers. Markova joined and formed a famous dancing pair with Anton Dolin. In 1933, de Valois made Markova the first Prima Ballerina of the company. This company is now the world-famous Royal Ballet.
Alicia Markova saw a performance of Giselle in 1932. She realized how special this ballet was. It became her favorite role. She kept improving her performance of Giselle throughout her career. Her first time dancing Giselle was on New Year's Day in 1934.
In 1935, Markova and Dolin left the Vic-Wells ballet. They started their own touring group called the Markova-Dolin Company. They traveled a lot for two seasons. Later, in 1938, Markova joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She toured the world as the main ballerina for this company. This company was the first to bring ballet to many parts of the United States. They showed ballet to audiences who had never seen it before. During this time, she also helped create the American Ballet Theatre. She danced with them in their early years.
Markova danced in ballets all over the world. But she is best remembered for her Giselle. She was also famous for The Dying Swan and Les Sylphides. During World War II, she restarted Les Ballets Russes in the United States. She also appeared with Dolin in the Hollywood film, A Song for Miss Julie.
Founding English National Ballet
In 1950, Markova and Dolin started the Festival Ballet. This company was created to celebrate the upcoming Festival of Britain. Dolin was the first Artistic Director, and Markova was the main ballerina. The company wanted to bring ballets to people who might not usually see them. They toured a lot to different places in the UK and other countries. They also started programs to teach new audiences about ballet. She was the main ballerina until 1952. After that, she often came back as a guest dancer until she stopped dancing professionally.
In 1960, she worked with Indian classical dancer Ram Gopal. They created a duet called "Radha-Krishna." This dance was based on Hindu mythology. She danced as Radha, and he danced as Krishna. Today, their work together is remembered at the National Portrait Gallery, London. Her bronze statue stands next to his portrait there. In 1989, the Festival Ballet changed its name to English National Ballet. This new name showed its role as Britain's only classical ballet company. It focused on touring ballets across the country at good prices.
Later Years and Legacy
Alicia Markova stopped dancing professionally in January 1963. She was 52 years old. After retiring, she stayed very active in ballet. She worked as a teacher, director, and choreographer. She helped stage many ballets she had performed with the Ballets Russes. She also coached dancers for roles that she had created for choreographers like Sir Frederick Ashton.
As a teacher, she gave ballet classes on TV. She also became a Professor of Ballet at the University of Cincinnati. In her later years, she often taught at ballet courses. These included the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars. She was also the President and a guest teacher at the Arts Educational Schools in London and Tring. She was also a governor and guest teacher at the Royal Ballet School.
She was featured on the TV show This Is Your Life twice. Once in 1960 and again in 1995. Markova was a leader for many dance groups. She was President of English National Ballet and a Governor of The Royal Ballet. She was also Vice President of the Royal Academy of Dance.
Death
Alicia Markova passed away on 2 December 2004 in a hospital in Bath. She died one day after her 94th birthday, after having a stroke. She never married. A memorial service was held for her at Westminster Abbey on 8 March 2005. During the service, dancers from the English National Ballet performed parts of Giselle and Les Sylphides.
Awards and Honors
- 1957 - Dance Magazine Award
- 1957 - Woman of the Year Award (American Women's Organisation)
- 1958 - CBE, Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- 1963 - DBE, Dame Commander of Order of the British Empire
- 1963 - Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award, Royal Academy of Dance
- 1966 - DMus, Honorary Doctorate of Music, Leicester University
- 1982 - MusD, Honorary Doctorate of Music, University of East Anglia
- 1994 - Evening Standard Special Award
- 2000 - Cecchetti D'Argento Award, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
- 2001 - DUniv, Honorary Doctor of the University, Middlesex University
Positions Held
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See Also
In Spanish: Alicia Markova para niños
- List of British Jews
- Alicia Markova "The Dying Swan"
- Women in dance
Images for kids
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Pointe shoe belonging to Markova, currently housed at The Shoe Room in Toronto.
