Patricia Ruanne
Patricia Ruanne (born 3 June 1945) is a British ballerina, ballet mistress, teacher, repetiteur, and director.
Early life
She was born in Leeds on 3 June 1945.[1]
Career
Ruanne was trained at the Royal Ballet School. In 1962, at the age of 17, she joined the Royal Ballet, rising to principal in 1969.[1][2] Her first lead role was as the Girl in Kenneth MacMillan's The Invitation at the age of 18, and Giselle was her first full-length classical role.[2]
The majority of Ruanne's work was with the touring company, and she created roles in many works.[1] In 1973, she joined London Festival Ballet, led by its director Beryl Grey, in order to dance the classic roles, including Aurora in Rudolf Nureyev's production of Sleeping Beauty, and created the role of Juliet in his production of Romeo and Juliet.[1][2]
Ruanne created a number of leading roles including the Siren in Barry Moreland's Prodigal Son in Ragtime, the Lady in Red in Ronald Hynd's The Sanguine Fan in 1976, and danced the London premiere of Hynd's Rosalinda.[1][2]
Ruanne created the role of Tatiana in John Cranko's production of Eugene Onegin, for which she was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance by the Society of West End Theatres.[2]
Ruanne was the ballet mistress at London Festival Ballet from 1983 to 1985, and then at Paris Opera Ballet from 1986 to 1996, having joined at the request of Rudolf Nureyev, who was then the director of the Paris Opera Ballet.[1][2] She was the acting director at La Scala from 1999 to 2000.[1]
From 1996 onwards, Ruanne has worked as a freelance teacher and repetiteur.[1]
Personal life
In 1981, she appeared as the castaway on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, where her favourite track was the Romeo and Juliet Ballet Suite by Sergei Prokofiev, her book was The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien, and he luxury was sunglasses.[3]
References
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