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Dynamo, Michael Somes: A Life in The Royal Ballet Book

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Michael Somes is the unsung hero of The Royal Ballet - the dynamo driving performances as dancer and partner to Margot Fonteyn and as overseer of performances in the company’s greatest years. Starting out when when ballet belonged to the exotic foreigner and an Englishman becoming a ballet dancer was unthinkable, he challenged existing prejudices to become a star and a maker of stars, serving The Royal Ballet longer and contributing more to its development than anyone except its founder, Ninette de Valois. The Royal Ballet was his life.

Drawing on Somes' hitherto unseen letters and diaries augmented by interviews with contemporaries and those he mentored, Dynamo is a first-hand account of both successes and failures, the day to day struggles, the grumbles and disagreements as British ballet grew from a few dancers in a fringe theatre in then unfashionable Islington.

Sarah Woodcock worked as Press Officer for the Sadler’s Wells (now Birmingham) Royal Ballet in the early 1970s. In 1976 she became Curator of photographs and costumes at the Theatre Museum at the Victoria & Albert Museum and the department’s dance specialist, working on a wide range of exhibitions. She was appointed MBE for services to Arts Heritage and Dance in 2007.

Publisher: David Leonard
ISBN: 9781852731878
Size: 23.4 x 15.6 x 2.9 cm

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Peter
Brilliant account of a wonderful dancer and teacher

Just finished reading Dynamo, the biography of Michael Somes, a brilliant insight to both a dancer and teacher, who was a main stay of the Royal Ballet, who mentored so many great dancers, I never saw Michael Somes dance but his career was so fascinating and intrinsic to British Ballet.

Customer Reviews

Based on 1 review
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Peter
Brilliant account of a wonderful dancer and teacher

Just finished reading Dynamo, the biography of Michael Somes, a brilliant insight to both a dancer and teacher, who was a main stay of the Royal Ballet, who mentored so many great dancers, I never saw Michael Somes dance but his career was so fascinating and intrinsic to British Ballet.