Rambert Voices: an interview with Ronald Hynd

Ronald Hynd recalls his days as a student and dancer at Rambert from the 1940s.

Ronald has had a long and rich career in classical ballet - first as a dancer and then as a choreographer. He grew up with a love of classical music. It was this love that led him to attend several performances by Ballet Rambert which, in turn, inspired him to write to Marie Rambert asking if he could attend Saturday ballet class after his paper round. Marie Rambert saw in him the makings of a dancer and suggested he should become a full-time student at the Rambert School. His parents supported him - even handing over a whole week’s wages to pay for him to be released from his school. After some time as a student, studying with Marie Rambert, Angela Ellis and Anna Ivanova, he was invited to join the Company.

In this interview, Ronald tells us about his time at the school and life as a dancer. Throughout, he recalls other key figures from Rambert’s past including Sally Gilmour, Walter Gore, Joyce Graeme and Marie Rambert. Ronald talks about his transition to the Royal Ballet and his later choreographic career and how his time at Rambert has continued to influence him throughout his life.

00:06:55 Angela Ellis

00:09:12 Mercury Theatre

00:13.09 Paris Season1950

00:15:12 Marie Rambert

00:25:30 Sally Gilmour

00:26:30 Walter Gore

00:31:00 The Royal Ballet

00:35:30 The Rite of Spring (Nijinsky, 1913)

Interview recorded on 27 June 2017 in London.

Interviewer: Claire Izzard; Filmmaker: Paul Izzard

The Rambert Voices oral history project is part of Rambert at 90, a project marking the company's 90th anniversary, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.