Lynn Seymour

Lynn Seymour

Born	Lynn Springbett March 8, 1939 (1939-03-08) (age 69) Wainwright, Alberta, Canada
Occupation	Ballet dancer

Lynn Seymour (born Wainwright; 8 March 1939) is a retired Canadian ballerina. She was born Lynn Springbett and studied dancing in Vancouver. In 1953, she was auditioned by Sir Frederick Ashton and given a scholarship to the Sadler's Wells Ballet School. There she was in a class with Antoinette Sibley and Marcia Haydee "perhaps the greatest constellation of talent ever seen in one classroom" ^[1]. In 1956, she joined the Covent Garden Opera Ballet and the following year joined the Royal Ballet. She was promoted to principal in 1959. The first solo role she created was as an Adolescent in Kenneth Macmillan's ballet The Burrow. She was "a dancer with lyrical technique and intense dramatic power" ^[2]. She became Kenneth Macmillan's muse ^[3] as her first major role catapulted her to stardom as the Girl in Macmillan's Invitation in 1960. She formed a partnership with Christopher Gable which began with the lead roles in Ashton's Two Pigeons in 1961. From 1966 to 1969 she was prima ballerina at Berlin Opera Ballet under Macmillan's direction. She performed as a guest artist with the London Festival Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, London Contemporary Dance Theatre and American Ballet Theatre ^[4]. She returned to the Royal Ballet in 1971 as principal guest ballerina until 1978. She left to become the ballet director for the Bavarian State Opera until 1980. In 1981 she briefly returned to the Royal Ballet before retiring.