Richard Buckle facts for kids

(Christopher) Richard Sandford Buckle (born August 6, 1916 – died October 12, 2001) was an English writer who loved ballet his whole life. He became a famous ballet critic. He even started his own magazine called Ballet in 1939. He was also honored with the CBE, which is a special award in the United Kingdom.

Growing Up

Richard Buckle grew up in a small village called Warcop in England. His father was a soldier who sadly died when Richard was very young. Richard was raised by his mother and other female relatives.

Even though his family didn't have a lot of money, they were a respected family. Richard was very interested in his family history. He learned that he was related to some important people.

He went to a school called Marlborough College. After that, he studied modern languages at Balliol College, Oxford. He left Oxford after a year. Then, he briefly went to an art school in London.

Richard soon became very interested in ballet. His family hoped he would choose a more stable job, like banking. But Richard decided to dedicate himself to ballet instead.

His Career in Ballet

Richard Buckle started a magazine called Ballet in 1939. He later brought it back after the Second World War. During the war, he served as a soldier with the Scots Guards. He was recognized for his bravery in 1944 during a military campaign in Italy.

From 1948 to 1955, he worked as a ballet critic for a newspaper called The Observer. He wrote reviews and opinions about ballet performances.

Richard also organized several successful exhibitions. In 1954, he created a show about the life and work of Diaghilev. Diaghilev was a very important person in the world of ballet. This exhibition was shown at the Edinburgh Festival and later in London.

In 1964 and 1965, Richard helped organize a big exhibition about William Shakespeare. This show celebrated 400 years since Shakespeare's birth.

He wrote many books, including detailed life stories of famous ballet dancers. These included biographies of Nijinsky (published in 1971) and Diaghilev (published in 1979). He also helped edit other books, like the autobiography of dancer Lydia Sokolova.

In 1979, Richard Buckle received the CBE award for his contributions.

Later Years

As he got older, Richard Buckle started to have some health problems. Even so, he wrote some of his best works during this time. These included his famous biographies of Nijinsky and Diaghilev.

In 1976, he left London and moved to a quiet cottage in Wiltshire. He didn't drive, so his home felt even more isolated. After having a heart attack in 1979, he focused on writing books about his own life.

He often visited his childhood village of Warcop in the 1980s. He enjoyed sharing his memories of the place from fifty years earlier.

Selected Writings

• John Innocent at Oxford, Chatto & Windus (1939)
• Ballet, Ballet Publications Ltd (magazine 1939–1952)
• Katherine Dunham: her dancers, singers and musicians, Ballet Publications (1949)
• The Adventures of a Ballet Critic, Cresset Press (1953)
• Epstein: An Autobiography by Richard Buckle, Art Treasures Book Club (1955)
• In Search of Daighilev, Sidgwick & Jackson (1955)
• Modern Ballet Design, Macmillan (1955)
• The Prettiest Girl in England: the love story of Mrs Fitzherbert's Niece, John Murray (1958)
• Dancing for Diaghilev: The Memoirs of Lydia Sokolova, John Murray (1960); editor
• Harewood: a New Guide to the Yorkshire Seat of the Earls of Harewood, English Life Publications (1965)
• Nijinsky, Weidenfeld & Nicolson (1971), ISBN: 0-297-00452-2
• U & Non-U Revisited, Debrett's Peerage (1978), ISBN: 0-905649-17-6; editor
• Diaghilev, Weidenfeld & Nicolson (1979), ISBN: 0-297-77506-5
• Buckle at the Ballet: Selected Criticism, Dance Books (1980), ISBN: 0-903102-53-6
• The Most Upsetting Woman (Autobiography 1), Collins (1981), ISBN: 0-00-216326-8
• In the Wake of Diaghilev (Autobiography 2), Collins (1982), ISBN: 0-00-216544-9
• George Balanchine: Ballet Master (with John Taras), Hamish Hamilton (1988), ISBN: 0-241-12180-9