Dame Alicia Markova is dead

Alicia Markova was one of the greatest ballerinas of the twentieth century and her career is already perceived as one of the most significant in the history of dance. She was the last living link to Serge Diaghilev and her passing marks the end of an era. Born Lilian Alicia Marks on 1st December 1910 she was a child star at the age of 10 and joined Diaghilev‘s company in Monte Carlo when she was 14. Balanchine created the leading role for her in “Le Chant du rossignol“ and like many other choreographers exploited her formidably precocious technique.

Diaghilev intended his youthful star, now re-named Markova, to dance “Giselle,“ and although he died before this ambition was realised she shortly became one of the most famous Giselles of the century. The disbanding of the Ballets Russes left Markova without a company and she returned to London thinking her career was over; but her partnership with Anton Dolin established a benchmark for later generations and they were both crucial to the development of theatre dance in Britain. Markova was Frederick Ashton‘s first muse and she was at the centre of the repertoire of the companies which eventually became Rambert Dance Company and the ...