Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Ballet dancer who at 14 joined Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, the company described as the world's greatest.
On the island
Eight records
Dick Whittington pantomime music
Music from the Christmas Pantomime at the Old Kennington Theatre
Production by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes at the Alhambra
The keepsakes
No book or luxury recorded for this episode.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:27Do you recall any particular moment of inspiration when you said to yourself, 'I'm going to be a dancer'?
Well, I never said to myself I'm going to be a dancer.
Presenter asks
1:56Who looked after you when you joined Diaghilev's company in Monte Carlo at age 14?
I had my governess with me, and we were both in the care of Ninette de Valois.
Presenter asks
2:20Do you look back with any regret at having missed the carefree childhood that less talented children have?
Well, if I can say, uh, honestly, I don't think I was ever aware of missing anything, because I was so intrigued and enthralled with what I was doing. And now to day I find all the things, if you can put it, that I missed, I enjoy em very much more.
Presenter asks
3:47When Diaghilev died and his company disbanded, what happened to you?
Oh, at that time I just thought I was going to give up dancing completely. I didn't want to dance any longer. I came back to London, yes, but I didn't dance here. And then I realized that I had to go on dancing. So I went back to Monte Carlo for a season. But I wasn't very happy, and then eventually Frederick Ashton...
Presenter asks
4:21What did you have to do with Frederick Ashton?
Well, he uh had been asked by Sir Nigel Playfair to uh choreograph the dances for a Dryden play, the [Lyric] Hammersmith. And he wrote and asked me if I would be interested to dance in them with him. Well, uh as you know, I I accepted and from there I went uh to the ballet club. Which start of the [Rambert] Ballet? And uh Ashton did many of his first works for me there, and then the Vic Wells and Camargo Society, you know one [thing] being led to another.
Presenter asks
4:56Tell us, Madame Markova, what was your salary when you started with the Vic Wells?
Oh, dear me, I think uh I think it was five guineas of performance. And well, and we didn't have a performance every week, I think it was every other week.
“Well, I had flat feet.”
“I was ten years of age.”
“Because I developed diphtheria.”
“Well, maybe to dance in Japan, perhaps.”
“She sells.”