Gillian Lynne

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A Dancer in Wartime

Penguin Shop: 3 Clothbound Classics for £33

Gillian's journey through dance is a story of passion and devotion that should be read by everyone, not just dance lovers

A beautiful tale of heartbreak, talent, determination and star quality

From the Blitz to Sadler's Wells, this is a charming portrait of passion and dedication, set against the difficulties of war

A captivating story beautifully told ... and what an inspiration for anyone who dreams of a life on the stage

Dance historians will be as charmed by this sidelight on dance as ambitious girls will be inspired by Lynne's description of the dancer's life as an amalgam of "the Impossible and the Spiritual all wrapped up with a ribbon of passion

Sincere and unpretentious... She paints [...] a picture of austerity Britain in which ballet was a supremely glamorous career path.

A charming and moving portrait of a wartime childhood and an extraordinary account of what it takes to make it on stage ... I couldn't put it down

An intriguing and moving account of a young girl's balletic ambitions during wartime. Wonderfully readable, spirited and honest

I loved this book ... her energy, enthusiasm and passion are present in every line, and her commitment to the theatre and her determination to excel make for a fascinating and thoroughly absorbing read.

This is a remarkable book which I read overnight. It's gripping, touching, eye-opening and pitch perfect about a period of time almost lost from view. Gillian Lynne's tenacity's palpable from the outset. Definitely one to savour and treasure.

In A Dancer in Wartime, Gillian Lynne canters through her amazing experiences like the thoroughbred she is

A warm, affectionate portrait of the ballet world, and of success tinged with sadness

The touching true story of a young girl's journey from the Blitz to the Bright Lights

London during the Blitz was a time of hardship, heroism and hope. 
 
For Gillian Lynne – a budding ballerina – it was also a time of great change as she was evacuated from war-torn London to a crumbling mansion, where dance classes took place in the faded ballroom. 
 
Life was hard, but her talent and dedication shone through and an astonishing journey ensued, which saw Gillian dancing a triumphant debut in Swan Lake, performing in the West End with doodlebugs falling and touring a devastated Europe entertaining the troops. 
 
A Dancer in Wartime paints a vivid and moving picture of what life was really like during the hard years of the Blitz and brings to life a lost world.

An irresistible memoir about a young girl's hard-won path to success as a dancer during the Second World War

Gillian Lynne is a British ballerina, dancer, actor, theatre director, television director and choreographer, best known for her iconic choreography of Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. She was born in Bromley, Kent, in 1926. At the age of ten she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dancing, after which she joined the Cone Ripman School before being selected to join Molly Lake’s Ballet Guild and Ninette de Valois’s Sadler’s Wells. As part of what would soon become the Royal Ballet, she was renowned for her portrayal of the Black Queen in de Valois’s Checkmate, Queen of the Wilis in Giselle, the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty and in roles created for her by Frederick Ashton and Robert Helpmann. Her film, television and stage credits include many long-running West End and Broadway shows, productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the English National Opera and The Muppets. She continues to produce television, film and stage productions and lives in London. A Dancer in Wartime was shortlisted for the Society for Theatre Research’s Theatre Book Prize.

A Dancer in Wartime

The touching true story of a young girl's journey from the Blitz to the Bright Lights

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