Nadia Nerina facts for kids

Nadia Nerina (born October 21, 1927 – died October 6, 2008) was a famous ballet dancer from South Africa. She was known as one of the most talented and inspiring dancers of The Royal Ballet in the 1950s and 1960s. People loved her for her amazing dance skills, how light she was on her feet, her seemingly easy jumps, and her happy charm on stage. She was especially good in funny roles.

Early Life and Dance Training

Nadia Nerina was born as Nadine Judd in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Her family came from British settlers. Her parents encouraged her interest in theater from a young age. She first appeared on stage when she was about 8 or 9 years old. She played Cio-Cio San's child in a local play called Madama Butterfly.

Her serious dance training began after her family moved to Durban. There, she studied drama, ballet, and stagecraft. Her ballet teacher, Eileen Keegan, was very important. She helped Nadia build a strong foundation in classical ballet. When Nadia was a teenager, her teachers told her father to send her to England for more training.

In 1945, after World War II ended in Europe, Nadia traveled to London. She was about 17 or 18 years old. She took classes with famous teachers like Marie Rambert and Ninette de Valois at the Sadler's Wells Ballet School. She also studied Spanish dancing. While still a student, she performed in a famous show of The Sleeping Beauty. To improve her classical technique, she also went to Paris to study with Olga Preobrajenska, a former star from Russia.

Becoming a Professional Dancer

When Nadia returned to England, she joined the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet. This is where she chose her stage name, Nadia Nerina. It came from the beautiful, lily-like flowers called nerines, which grow in South Africa.

She quickly became successful. Her first big role was the Circus Dancer in a ballet called Mardi Gras. Audiences loved her. In December 1947, she joined the main Sadler's Wells company. She danced a solo in Les Sylphides just three days later. Her light, high jumps and quick footwork were perfect for this role. Soon, she was encouraged to develop her own natural dance style.

Rising to Stardom

Nadia's career grew very fast. In 1952, when she was 25, she became a principal dancer. This meant she was one of the top dancers in the company. The company already had many brilliant ballerinas, but Nadia stood out.

For the next 15 years, she danced leading roles in many ballets. These included old classics and new works by modern choreographers. She was a favorite of Frederick Ashton, the company's main choreographer. He created new parts for her in ballets like Homage to the Queen and Birthday Offering. He often used her amazing ability to jump high and perform difficult moves.

Even though she was great at dramatic roles, her sunny personality and dazzling technique made her perfect for lively and bright performances.

Her Most Famous Role: Lise

The year 1960 was very important for Nadia. On January 28, she performed in the role she would be most remembered for: Lise in Ashton's La Fille Mal Gardée. This ballet means "the poorly guarded girl." It was based on an old French story about a widow and her daughter. Ashton's version was an instant hit.

The ballet had charming sets and costumes. Nadia played Lise, the main character. David Blair played Colas, her sweetheart. Stanley Holden played her mother, the Widow Simone, and Alexander Grant played Alain, her unlucky suitor. Ashton called them his "ideal cast." Many people still think they were the best to ever perform these roles together. After its first show, critics called the ballet a masterpiece. Nadia Nerina's lively and brilliant performance was a big reason for its success.

International Recognition

Nadia Nerina was also very famous outside of England. In the early 1950s, she toured South Africa many times. She also toured Europe and North America with the Royal Ballet. She was especially popular in France.

In 1960, after her success with La Fille Mal Gardée, she was invited to dance as a guest ballerina with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow and the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). She danced with famous partners like Nikolai Fadeyechev in Swan Lake and Konstantin Sergeyev in Giselle. She was praised in both of these ballet-loving cities. She was also loved in America. In 1964, she represented Great Britain at a special performance for President John F. Kennedy at the White House.

In 1965, Nadia asked to become a "guest artist" with the Royal Ballet. This allowed her to dance with other companies. She continued to perform with the Royal Ballet until 1968. She also often performed at ballet galas, giving her earnings to charities for dancers. After she retired in 1969, she helped support the Cecchetti Society, which teaches a special Italian ballet style.

Personal Life

Nadia Nerina married Charles Gordon, a businessman from South Africa, in 1956. She was a very loyal and supportive wife throughout his career. They did not have any children.

After she retired from the stage in 1969, Nadia and her husband moved to Monte Carlo and then to southern France. She lived there until she passed away. She died at her home in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France, when she was 80 years old.

Legacy

You can learn more about Nadia Nerina's work and her approach to dancing from several books. Also, between 1957 and 1965, Nadia appeared in seven major television programs for BBC-TV. Some of these programs are available on DVDs today. These include:

• Legacy: Les Sylphides and Giselle: This DVD features Nadia Nerina in the main role of Giselle. It was recorded in 1958.
• Legacy: Nadia Nerina, Robert Helpmann, Margot Fonteyn, Rudolf Nureyev: Nadia appears in parts from Coppélia and Les Sylphides. This was recorded in 1962.
• Legacy: La Fille Mal Gardée: This DVD features the original cast of the famous ballet, with Nadia Nerina as Lise. It was recorded in 1962.

See also

In Spanish: Nadia Nerina para niños