Throwback Thursday and Nadia Nerina
Born in South Africa on Otober 21, 1927, Nadine Judd first started taking ballet lessons on the advice of a doctor – she had “weak feet”. In 1945 she moved to London and studied at the Rambert school and at the Sadler’s Wells Ballet School. She joined the latter in 1945 (it became the Royal Ballet in 1956). She chose her stage name, Nerina, as a version of a South African flower, the nerine.
She soon became a favorite of Frederick Ashton, and he used her in his new works including “homage to the Queen” and “Birthday Offering. Soon, she danced leading roles in “Ondine” and “Cinderella”. In 1952 she achieved the rank of principal dancer.
In 1953, John Martin, a critic for The New York Times wrote:
“Miss Nerina is completely adorable. She is pretty as a picture,
has great charm and can dance like a million dollars. Her body is beautifully
placed, giving her lovely, free arms and an unusually articulated torso. There
are simply no problems of movement for her, and never so much as a hint of an
ugly one. When Miss Nerina has developed a musical phrase to equal her command
of the physical medium, we shall all be fighting to drink Champagne out of her
slippers.”
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Dance History Factoid #146:
“ Nadia Nerina was a principal
dancer with the Royal Ballet known for her technical brilliance and her comedic
roles.”
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