Remembering Pauline Clayden

We were saddened to hear of the death over the summer of Pauline Clayden at the age of 103.

Pauline was an important figure in the history of British ballet, joining Sadler’s Wells Ballet in 1942 and dancing with the Company until her retirement from the stage in 1956. A talented and adaptable Soloist, she stepped out of the corps de ballet to dance leading roles and created roles for choreographers including Frederick Ashton, Andrée Howard, Ninette de Valois and Robert Helpmann. Her connection with some of British ballet’s most important works continued long after her retirement. For Helpmann, Pauline created the role of the Suicide in The Miracle in the Gorbals in 1944. When the ballet was reconstructed by Gillian Lynne for Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2014, Pauline was able to set her section accurately from her memories of the original production. Her clear memory also contributed to the reconstruction of Ashton’s Dante Sonata from the 1990s, and she continued to share her knowledge with the next generation, teaching her solo from Promenade to students of The Royal Ballet School, where she was a guest tutor for various projects.

We are grateful for the contribution Pauline made to the Company’s connection with these important works, and for the memories and knowledge she shared with our dancers. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.