Harold Turner (dancer)
| Harold Turner | |
|---|---|
| Born |
2 December 1909 Manchester |
| Died |
2 July 1962 (aged 52) London |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
| Spouse(s) | Gerd Larsen |
Harold Turner (2 December 1909 – 2 July 1962) was a British ballet dancer. Ballet Magazine called him "modern British ballet's first male virtuoso".[1]
Early life
Turner was born in Manchester, where his father was a viola player.[2]
Career
Turner began dancing aged 16, and learnt from Alfred Haines and appeared with his company. Anton Dolin and Léonide Massine both noticed his ability, and helped by them, he studied with Marie Rambert in London.[1]
Roles he created include the Red Knight in Checkmate, the 1937 one act ballet created by the choreographer Ninette de Valois and composer Arthur Bliss for the Vic-Wells Ballet.
Turner was said to be the first male ballet dancer to be famous in the United Kingdom.
Created roles
- Red Knight in Checkmate
Personal life
Gerd Larsen was Turner's second wife, from 1944 until his death in 1962. They had one child together, a daughter, Solveig, in 1952.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Simpson, Jane. "Harold Turner". Ballet Magazine. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
- ↑ Arnold Haskell, "Turner, Harold (1909–1962)", rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 28 March 2014
- ↑ Clarke, Mary. "Gerd Larsen". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 15 February 2014.