Benazir Surtees (born 1 July 1972; née Hussain) is a British-Indian retired ballerina who was a soloist at the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden.
Benazir Surtees |
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Early life
editCareer
editSurtees was made soloist in 1994 at the Royal Ballet, where she took over roles such as the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. She is particularly known for her appearance in the recorded performance of Sleeping Beauty in winter 1994. Her other appearances include Frederick Ashton's Illuminations.[3]
After her final appearance as Gamzatti in La Bayadere she left the Royal Ballet and moved to Australia in 1997.[4] Surtees' first husband was her Royal Ballet colleague Errol Pickford whom she had married in August 1996 and whose new contract with the West Australian Ballet had in fact triggered this transfer.[5][6] After a year working at the Australian Ballet she continued her career at the West Australian Ballet in Perth from 1998 until her retirement in 2005.[7] Her notable work during that time include Ted Bransen's production of Carmen (1999, studio-recorded in 2002) which she performed together with Daryl Brandwood and her appearances in her final year included 'La Bohème - The Ballet.'[8][9][10]
Personal life
editShe is the younger sister of the cricketer Nasser Hussain.[11]
In 2004, she married Craig Surtees, and their daughter was born in 2006.[12][13]
References
edit- ^ "Benazir bowls over dance fans as brother aims to bowl us out - smh.com.au". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 November 2002. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ^ "Why I'm dancing for joy over my brilliant brother Nasser. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- ^ "Ballerina Benazir Hussein set to take on Covent Garden in Frederick Ashtons Illuminations". India Today. 30 April 1996. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ^ "The Age from Melbourne, Victoria on February 21, 1998 · Page 162". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- ^ "Ballet stars quit for Blitz 'Cinderella'". The Independent. 15 June 1997. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- ^ "Why I flew the coop". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 February 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- ^ "Benazir Surtees". dancetours.org. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ "Ted Brandsen a late starter moving fast » Ausdance | Australia's professional dance advocacy organisation". Ausdance. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- ^ Tattersall, Malcolm (29 September 2007). "West Australian Ballet in Shchedrin's 'Carmen', reviewed by Malcolm Tattersall. '... colourful and energetic ...'". www.mvdaily.com. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- ^ "... as dancers soar above a lack of flair - Arts - Entertainment - smh.com.au". www.smh.com.au. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- ^ "Why I'm dancing for joy over my brilliant brother Nasser. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "Stateline Western Australia". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ "Perth Confidential". PerthNow. Retrieved 16 November 2016.