Markova
Born Lilian Alicia Marks in London in 1910, she started her career at the age of ten in Dick Whittin...
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Born Lilian Alicia Marks in London in 1910, she started her career at the age of ten in Dick Whittington in Kennington. Artistically it was about as far removed from the world's great opera houses as you can get. Such was Alicia's genius, however, that despite her lack of experience in ballet, she was snapped up aged only fourteen by the world-famous impresario Serge Diaghileff for his acclaimed Ballet Russe.It was the beginning of an exciting, though often lonely, period. Markova, as she now was, danced all over Europe, introducing new works by Balanchine and Massine. Stravinsky was her music teacher and Matisse her designer.Later, when Ninette de Valois started the Vic-Wells Ballet, Alicia became her prima ballerina, nightly filling Sadler's Wells theatre to capacity. At last, British ballet had found an audience. International success followed. Enduring astonishing hardships Markova blazed a trail across the world dancing in places which had never seen a ballet before. To this day, Markova continues to teach and to inspire a whole new generation of dancers.
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