Alicia Markova, The Legend (2002)

A fascinating documentary on Alicia Markova, a former member of the Ballets Russes, and one of the co-founders of the English National Ballet. The great Alicia Markova evokes for Dominique Delouche, her life and roles within the Ballets Russes under Sergei Diaghilev’s direction. Between 1925 and 1928, the young ballerina shared the stage with Karsavina, Pavlova, Sergueev, Egorova, Fokine or Spessivtseva, all exceptional dancers who left their mark on the British arstist. Following the death of Diaghilev in 1929, Markova returned to England where she worked with the famous choreographer Frederick Ashton, and then co-founded the Festival Ballet, now known as the English National Ballet. This documentary features the Étoiles and the dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet, to whom she teaches the great art of dancing.