Elaine Fifield | |
---|---|
Born | 28 October 1930 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
Died | 11 May 1999 Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
Nationality | Australian |
Occupation | Ballerina |
Spouse(s) |
John Lanchbery Les Farley |
Children | 3 daughters |
Elaine Fifield (28 October 1930 - 11 May 1999) was an Australian ballerina, perhaps best known for creating the title role in John Cranko's comic ballet Pineapple Poll in 1951. [1]
Elaine Fifield was born in Sydney, New South Wales on 28 October 1930. [2] She trained at the Scully School and with Leon Kelloway, in Australia. [1] In 1945, she won a Royal Academy of Dance scholarship, and trained at the Royal Ballet School. [1]
In 1947, Fifield joined Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet. Her work there included lead dancer in Selina (1948), a ballet choreographed by Andrée Howard to the music of Rossini, scenario and design by Peter Williams. [3] She also appeared as a dancer in the 1948 Crown Film Unit film, Steps of the Ballet, also with choreography by Howard, and music by Arthur Benjamin, directed by Muir Mathieson. [4]
In 1954 moved to The Royal Ballet, [1] where the following year she danced in the Frederick Ashton ballet (to music by Benjamin Britten) Variations on a Theme of Purcell, portraying the oboe. [5] In 1957, she returned to Australia and joined the Borovansky Ballet, which was to form the basis of The Australian Ballet. [1] In 1964, she returned as a principal artist with The Australian Ballet, having been invited to do so by its artistic director, Peggy van Praagh. [1]
In 1952, she married the musician and ballet conductor John Lanchbery, they had a daughter, and the marriage ended in divorce. In 1960, she married plantation owner Les Farley, and they had two daughters. [2]