Maryon Lane

Published Friday 18 July 2008 at 16:00 by Patrick Newley

A prima ballerina with Sadler’s Wells, Maryon Lane became principal dancer in 1948 and then moved to the Royal Ballet as a soloist (1955-1968). A petite musical performer and gifted actress, she created roles in several MacMillan ballets, including Laiderette (1954), Danses concertantes (1955) and Diversions (1961).

Born Patricia Mills on February 15, 1931 in Natal, South Africa, she studied in Johannesburg and in 1946 went to Sadler’s Wells School in London after winning a scholarship from the Royal Academy of Dancing.

She became a principal dancer at the age of 17 and took major roles in ballets by Ashton and de Valois, as well as the classical repertoire. In 1953 she played the ballerina role in Coppelia.

By the time she was a leading name at Convent Garden, she had married Royal Ballet colleague David Blair, who had been Margot Fonteyn’s dancing partner. In 1960 their twin daughters were born. In 1968 she left the company, but made guest appearances with the Festival Ballet and Ballet Rambert. After retiring from the stage, she taught at the London Ballet Centre and the Royal Ballet School. David Blair died suddenly in 1976 at the age of 43.

In her later years, Lane moved to Cyprus where she founded a dancing school in Kyrenia where many of her former colleagues visited as guest teachers.