Jane S Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Kathrine Sorley Walker, by far the most senior London dance critic still writing, died in her sleep last week. The Telegraph has a long obituary, giving a lot of detail about her professional life - many people probably don't know that as well as her dance writing she also edited the letters of Raymond Chandler - and also revealing her age, which until now has been a very well kept secret. She had begun to look very frail recently and I'm lost in admiration for someone who in her mid-nineties would still turn out to see most of the mainstream first nights, and then walk away on her own into the dark and rain to catch a bus or a tube home. I've been reading Kathrine's criticism and her books for as long as I can remember, but didn't actually meet her until about 14 years ago, when I found myself sitting next to her at Covent Garden and rather hesitantly introduced myself: she was much less formidable than I'd expected - and astonished that anyone would recognise her - and since then she has always been personally friendly and professionally kind to me. Talking to her was a stimulating experience - I'd say she didn't suffer fools at all, let alone gladly - but she had a dry wit, a vast amount of knowledge, and some delightfully unexpected soft spots too. A remarkable woman. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Well said Jane, there can be few balletomanes without one of her books on their shelves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Yes, I failed to appreciate how extensively she published and the variety of her work. Thank you Jane for confirming an impression I had gained of her from reading her work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Sad news as another great critic and writer passes away. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Yes, so sad to lose another of the old guard so soon after Mary Clarke. I used to enjoy reading her reviews. So amazing to think of what she was still accomplishing at such an advanced age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack.b Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 The only one left is Clement Crisp ,he is in my opinion the best critic of ballet in the UK living ,John Percival and Richard Buckle were in their time outstanding because they loved ballet and dancers so much .Richard Buckles Diaries are a gem .T 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 I agree about Clem. Given that all the current critics seem to be of a younger generation we are losing all the people who saw Markova and Ulanova. Oh well, Tempus Fugit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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