Merete Irgens

Yes, it is a forum for looking for people. You might also want to try posting a similar query on BalletTalk for Dancers, our sister site. Even if your friends are not readers, maybe they've gone on to teach and have students who can help your search. You'll have to register there separately.

I hope some of our readers can help you. Any reader who is not a registered member and can give leads, or if you are a member and would rather not post publicly, please send the info via the "Contact Us" link at the top of the page, and we will forward it (with or without your e-mail address, whichever you specify) to Ms. Irgens.

Thank you for your reply and suggestion. In that case is it possible for me to ask your help through Contact us? Because I found e message in Ballettalk written by DonQuichote, and she mentions she is the grand daughter of the ballerina Noralma Vera, one of the friends I am looking for. I can´t see what her email adress is. But can you? And can you send her my message and email, and then it is up to DonQuichote to contact me? That would be fantastic. I could even tell DonQuichote about her great-grandmother who also lived with us. Noralma and I received private lessons with the big maestro Arnold Haskell. Quite an honour, when I think about it.

We practised intensly together month after month, year after year. Then we departed to different parts of the world. Some of us to balletcompanies, others gave up. Intense living made us loose contact. Now at a high age one begins thinking: it would be fun to get in touch and hear a little of the others history. What happened to Angela Bishop, Sallie Branch, Denyse Fox, Noralma Vera? We were all at the Royal Ballet School, but we also did classes at Cleo Nordi´s, Kathleen Croftons and so on. I, myself did my balletcareer of about 18 years in Norway and Denmark. Is this a forum suited to look for people?

Thanks for the welcome.

The truth is that my knowledge about both of these ballets is very limited. I know that only "The inspiration" was known for being coreographed by Vlasov but not more than that. I am doing some research for I am currently writing a novel and both of these ballets come to interest for they were danced by my grandmother, a wonderfull equatorian dancer from the 60s (her name was Noralma Vera... just in case ) . The earliest work she made was precisely both these ballets. The coreographer was a yugoslavian dancer named Kitty Sakilarides. I have only pictures from the ballets and havent been able to find much information about them. I am also not involved or know anyone who is involve in the world of ballet, hence i came here. Any information would be appreciated.

Dear DonQuixote. I can´t help you with information about the ballets. But please tell me about Noralma. I danced with her at The Royal Ballet School in London in 1958. We lived together - also your great-grandmother - in a room, where we shared everything. I have pictures of them both. I have tried many times to find her. But the internet opens new facilities. Would love to hear from you. Merete Irgens