Who is moira shearer

Even today, people of all ages admit being drawn to the ballet "because I saw The Red Shoes". The success and enduring popularity of that film should not, however, overshadow a career that encompassed a comparatively brief, yet distinguished, sojourn in the world of classical ballet, as well as fine achievements as an actor, film star, lecturer, writer and speaker of poetry. Although she had her first ballet lessons in Ndola, her training was essentially in Britain, first with Flora Fairbairn, then with the great pedagogue Nicholas Legat and, after his death in , with his widow Nadine Nicolayeva.

She was immediately noticed for her classic style and exceptional beauty - features of porcelain delicacy and flame-coloured hair. By she had joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet then, during wartime, based at the New, now Albery, Theatre and promotion came quickly. Frederick Ashton cast her as Pride in his ballet The Quest, and Ninette de Valois chose her to create the role of the girl in the sparkling pas de trois, a small gem in the ballet Promenade, the same year.

But it was the move of the company to the Royal Opera House in that set the seal on Shearer's right to the ballerina title. In the opening production of The Sleeping Beauty, in the famous Oliver Messel designs, she followed Fonteyn and Pamela May in the role of Princess Aurora, and immediately won a huge following of her own. Among her admirers was Sacheverell Sitwell - her beauty and his unrequited passion is said to have inspired some of his Selected Poems of In she danced 'Giselle for the first time, created the role of Cinderella in Frederick Ashton's production and made her first tour of America.

She danced a final season with Saddlers Wells then left ballet to concentrate on films and theatre. Sign In. Edit Moira Shearer. Showing all 35 items. Toured the US, lecturing on the history of ballet and Sergei Diaghilev between A joint portrait of she and husband Ludovic Kennedy , by the Israeli artist Avigdor Arikha , is now part of the permanent collection of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Red-headed ballet star who literally danced her way to film fame with only one picture, The Red Shoes She has since made only a handful of others. Arthur Freed wanted her to play opposite Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding but Astaire was reluctant to dance with a ballerina. Gene Kelly asked for her for Brigadoon She turned down both film opportunities, much preferring the classical stage in those years.

Was performing at Covent Garden until , when a combination of ill health, injury and her wish to make a name for herself as an actress made her decide to retire from the ballet stage at age Her father, a civil engineer, moved the family to Northern Rhodesia now Zambia , where she was pushed into dance lessons by her mother. Performed in Frederick Ashton 's masterpiece "Symphonic Variations", her red hair providing vibrant contrast to blonde ballerina Pamela May and brunette Margot Fonteyn.

In Shearer replaced an ailing Fonteyn in "Cinderella". Self - Ballerina. Hide Show Archive footage 7 credits. Victoria Page uncredited.

Documentary Archival footage from 'The Red Shoes'. Related Videos. See more ». Alternate Names: Lady Kennedy. Height: 5' 5" 1. Spouse: Ludovic Kennedy her death 4 children. Edit Did You Know? Personal Quote: What people cannot realize is that a ballet dancer just cannot afford to give up ballet for a moment. After a month without practising you are thrown back years. Trivia: In she was diagnosed as suffering from viral encephalitis, which impaired her memory.

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