David Blair (dancer)
Encyclopedia
David Blair was a renowned British ballet dancer and a leading star of the Royal Ballet company in London during the 1950s and 1960s.
Born David Butterfield in Yorkshire
, England in 1932, Blair started taking ballet lessons after watching his sister in a class at their local dance school. He won a scholarship to the Sadler's Wells Ballet School
and joined the school in 1946, aged 14. Being very short in comparison with many of his classmates, Blair's acceptance into the school was on the understanding that he had to grow significantly during his first term or would receive injections of growth-inducing hormones. Although he grew enough to satisfy the staff of the school, Blair was still one of the shortest boys and as a result the school thought he would become a character dancer.
In 1947, at the age of 15, he joined the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet
and changed his name to David Blair and later in 1953, Blair joined the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House
in Covent Garden
where he became a Principal dancer. Blair left the company shortly after the arrival of Rudolph Nureyev and there is speculation that his departure was because after the retirement of Michael Somes
, Blair was the natural replacement to partner Margot Fonteyn
, however Nureyev was partnered with Fonteyn and much of the publicity of the Royal Ballet became focussed solely on the Fonteyn-Nureyev partnership.
After his departure from the Royal Ballet, Blair continued to work in ballet as a repetiteur, staging productions of classic ballets for a number of companies worldwide, including American Ballet Theatre
. He was due to become Artistic Director of the Norwegian Ballet, but died before he was due to take up the post, aged 43.
During his career, Blair worked with some of the most notable dancers and choreographers of the 20th century, including Anton Dolin
, George Balanchine
, John Cranko
, Frederick Ashton
, Lynn Seymour
and Svetlana Beriosova
. He was married to the Royal Ballet Principal dancer Maryon Lane
, and they had twin daughters together. Blair is perhaps most notable for his partnership with Nadia Nerina
, with Frederick Ashton
creating the ballet La Fille Mal Gardée
for the couple. In 1978, the David Blair Memorial Scholarship was established, allowing a boy to attend the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars, a residential ballet summer school held annually in England.
Born David Butterfield in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England in 1932, Blair started taking ballet lessons after watching his sister in a class at their local dance school. He won a scholarship to the Sadler's Wells Ballet School
Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the Royal Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in London...
and joined the school in 1946, aged 14. Being very short in comparison with many of his classmates, Blair's acceptance into the school was on the understanding that he had to grow significantly during his first term or would receive injections of growth-inducing hormones. Although he grew enough to satisfy the staff of the school, Blair was still one of the shortest boys and as a result the school thought he would become a character dancer.
In 1947, at the age of 15, he joined the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Birmingham Royal Ballet is one of the three major ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside the Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet....
and changed his name to David Blair and later in 1953, Blair joined the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
where he became a Principal dancer. Blair left the company shortly after the arrival of Rudolph Nureyev and there is speculation that his departure was because after the retirement of Michael Somes
Michael Somes
Michael George Somes CBE , was a leading English ballet dancer. He was a principal danseur of the Royal Ballet, London, and was the frequent partner of Margot Fonteyn....
, Blair was the natural replacement to partner Margot Fonteyn
Margot Fonteyn
Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE , was an English ballerina of the 20th century. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time...
, however Nureyev was partnered with Fonteyn and much of the publicity of the Royal Ballet became focussed solely on the Fonteyn-Nureyev partnership.
After his departure from the Royal Ballet, Blair continued to work in ballet as a repetiteur, staging productions of classic ballets for a number of companies worldwide, including American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
. He was due to become Artistic Director of the Norwegian Ballet, but died before he was due to take up the post, aged 43.
During his career, Blair worked with some of the most notable dancers and choreographers of the 20th century, including Anton Dolin
Anton Dolin
Sir Anton Dolin was an English ballet dancer and choreographer.Dolin was born in Slinfold in Sussex as Sydney Francis Patrick Chippendall Healey-Kay but was generally known as Patrick Kay. He joined Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1921, was a principal there from 1924, and was a principal...
, George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
, John Cranko
John Cranko
John Cyril Cranko was a choreographer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet....
, Frederick Ashton
Frederick Ashton
Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues.-Early life:Ashton was born at...
, Lynn Seymour
Lynn Seymour
Lynn Seymour is a retired Canadian ballerina and choreographer.She was born Lynn Springbett and studied ballet in Vancouver....
and Svetlana Beriosova
Svetlana Beriosova
Svetlana Beriosova was a British prima ballerina who danced with the Royal Ballet of England for more than 20 years....
. He was married to the Royal Ballet Principal dancer Maryon Lane
Maryon Lane
Maryon Lane was a principal Ballerina with the Royal Ballet-Biography:Maryon Lane was born Patricia Mills on February 15, 1931 in Zululand, South Africa. She studied in Johannesburg and in 1946 went to the Sadler's Wells School in London after winning a scholarship from the Royal Academy of Dancing...
, and they had twin daughters together. Blair is perhaps most notable for his partnership with Nadia Nerina
Nadia Nerina
Nadia Nerina was a South African ballerina. She moved to England and joined the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, where she became a prima ballerina at the age of 25. She was one of the first western dancers to appear with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow during the Cold War...
, with Frederick Ashton
Frederick Ashton
Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues.-Early life:Ashton was born at...
creating the ballet La Fille Mal Gardée
La Fille Mal Gardée
La Fille mal gardée is a comic ballet presented in two acts, inspired by Pierre-Antoine Baudouin's 1789 painting, La réprimande/Une jeune fille querellée par sa mère...
for the couple. In 1978, the David Blair Memorial Scholarship was established, allowing a boy to attend the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars, a residential ballet summer school held annually in England.