Anita Young MBE

[li tai po]

Those of us of a certain age remember Anita Young as a stalwart member of the Royal Ballet in 1970s, unflinchingly reliable in the corps and dancing a range of soloist roles.  She appeared fearless and for several seasons she led out the Shades on stage in Rudolf Nureyev's production of La Bayadere Act III.  When the Evening Standard Award for Ballet was presented not to an individual, but to the Royal Ballet corps de ballet, she was selected to receive the award at the public ceremony, on behalf of her colleagues.

 

After a distinguished career as a teacher at the Royal Ballet School, she appears to be as busy as ever, coaching and sitting on international juries.

 

In this inspiring interview, she talks about her life and work.  She reflects on how the demands on a dancer's body have changed as the repertoire has morphed from story ballets requiring costumes to the modern repertoire with unitards.  She worked with footballers, making them remove their boots and leaving them exhausted at the end of the training session.  As an 11-year old, she danced in the Royal Academy of Dance Fundraising Gaia, where Margot presented Rudolf for the first time on the London stage. Towards the end of the interview, she has some warm reminiscences of Margot Fonteyn (she becomes a little emotional), but she is equally thrilled that her former pupil at the Royal Ballet School, Davi Ramos, is preparing to dance Prince Siegfried in Amsterdam.

 

The interview (42 minutes) presents someone with a joy for life and the wisdom that grows from years of experience.  I cannot recommend it highly enough.

 

[capybara]

Anita spoke entertainingly to The London Ballet Circle some years ago alongside the gorgeous Elena Glurjidze (former ENB Lead Principal).