I am writing the biography of Celia Franca (1921-2007), founder of the National Ballet of Canada. I am interested in hearing from anyone who knew her either during her years as a dancer in England (1937-1951) or during her years as artistic director of the National Ballet (1951-1975) or in her later years when she was teaching in Ottawa and ocassionally in China.

I worked with Celia Franca three times when I was a dancer with the Joffrey Ballet in NY in the seventies and early eighties. She staged 'Pineapple Poll' and 'Offenbach in the Underworld' several times for Mr. Joffrey. I learned all of the male corps parts from 'Pineapple Poll' when I was in Joffrey II and then Jasper when I was in the main company. I learned the part of a waiter in 'Offenbach in the Underworld'. I remember Celia Franca as being very beautiful - perfect Ballerina Face and hair. She loved to laugh - especially when she cracked herself up.

And I've never forgotten how my friends and I admired her intelligence. A movie called "Brimstone and Treacle" starring Sting opened in theaters one of the times we were working with her and my friend James Canfield went to her to ask the meaning of the word treacle.

I don't have any information, but I'm thrilled to learn that you are writing this book, and I look forward to reading it.

Count another on the waiting...

Miss Franca's first husband who appeared in her ballets is still with us and quite lively. I run into him quite often.
I would have contacted you direct but your personal messenger is disabled.

Regards

Leonid

leonid, members must have 10 posts before Personal Messenger is enabled. But if you (or anyone else) would like to us to pass on information to Ms. Bishop through us, please send a PM to me or an email to the "Contact Us" link at the top of the page, and we will forward mail or copy the PM to email and forward.

Thanks for reminding me about the magic of 10 posts.

Carol Bishop Gwyn has already written a short and most interesting study on Celia Franca in which appears to already have a direct quote from Leo Kersley Miss Franca's first husband.


http://people.uleth.ca/~scds.secd/English/...Bishop-Gwyn.pdf