Photo by Greg Heisler

By now, you must all be tired of me telling you about the International Dance Teacher Conference I attended last summer. I can’t help myself, I learned so much and met so many exciting and inspiring dancers. One of the dancers I met that inspired me the most was Gillian Lynne.

I had never heard of Gillian before the conference. She grew up in England and danced in London during World War II. She was a member of the Sadler’s Wells Ballet company at the same time that Margot Fonteyn and Moira Shearer were also members. After leaving that company, she went onto a career as a dancer and choreographer in London’s West End and on Broadway. In fact, she was the choreographer for Cats and The Phantom of the Opera!

I wanted to know more about Gillian, so I read her book, “A Dancer in Wartime”, which I found to be an enjoyable read. She explained the difficulty of living in wartime London and being a performer. A dancer’s life is difficult in the best of times. Try to imagine how much harder it is with food rationed and the Blitz.

As great a dancer and choreographer as she is, what really amazed me is she is still working her craft at the age 88! One of her most recent projects is an exercise DVD, “Longevity Through Exercise”.

The DVD includes her personal workout that she does every day. She demonstrates and explains all the exercises on the DVD. I think I’m in good shape and I found it to be a tough workout. Believe me, I had to push myself to keep up with her, and I’m thirty years younger than she is. I love the fact that when the workout is over, she rewards you with a cup of tea. (But no scones!)

Gillian’s passion for dance helped her get through the dark times of World War II, and that passion is what keeps her going, well into her 80’s. I hope I’ve inspired you to learn more about this amazing woman.

 To me a dancer’s life is an amalgam of three crucial elements: the Impossible and the Spiritual all wrapped up with a ribbon of Passion. ~ Gillian Lynne