Arnold Haskell

Arnold Haskell
Name	Arnold Haskell
Birth date	16 July 1903
Death date	7 August 1980
Occupation	Dance critic, author, lecturer
Notable works	The Ballet Annual, Dancing Round the World
Awards	Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Arnold Haskell was an influential British dance critic, author, and lecturer whose work shaped 20th-century ballet criticism and public appreciation of dance. He wrote extensively on Anna Pavlova, Sergei Diaghilev, Vaslav Nijinsky, and the development of British institutions such as Sadler's Wells Theatre and the Royal Ballet. His career bridged journalism, broadcasting, pedagogy, and close collaboration with companies and artists across Europe, North America, and the Commonwealth of Nations.

Early life and education

Born in Eastbourne to a British Empire family, he attended Tonbridge School before matriculating at King's College, Cambridge. At Cambridge he read English literature while participating in theatrical societies that brought him into contact with figures associated with Bloomsbury Group, Ninette de Valois, and early advocates of ballet revival. His formative years overlapped with the careers of Isadora Duncan, Anna Pavlova, Michel Fokine, and contemporaries such as T. S. Eliot and E. M. Forster, informing his later critical approach to performance, choreography, and cultural institutions.

Career in dance criticism and journalism

Haskell launched a prolific career as a critic for publications including The Sunday Times, The Observer, and various specialist periodicals, engaging with choreographers and dancers like Frederick Ashton, Antony Tudor, Margot Fonteyn, and Rudolf Nureyev. He edited the influential Ballet Annual, reviewed tours by companies such as Ballets Russes, Sadler's Wells Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre, and corresponded with impresarios such as Sergei Diaghilev and directors like Ninette de Valois. His criticism connected performance to patrons and venues including Covent Garden, Sadler's Wells Theatre, Royal Opera House, and continental houses in Paris, Milan, and St. Petersburg.

Writings and major works

Haskell authored books and essays surveying the history and personalities of ballet, including monographs on Anna Pavlova and analytical texts addressing choreography by Michel Fokine and George Balanchine. He compiled and edited annuals, programme notes, and histories that placed companies such as Royal Ballet and touring ensembles like Ballet Rambert within broader narratives featuring figures such as Adolphe Adam, Marie Taglioni, Enrico Cecchetti, and Lucia Joyce. His publications engaged with movements and productions connected to Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and works premiered by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes featuring composers like Igor Stravinsky and designers like Léon Bakst.

Involvement with Sadler's Wells Ballet and Royal Ballet

Haskell served as advisor, advocate, and chronicler during the evolution of Sadler's Wells Ballet into the Royal Ballet, working alongside institution-builders such as Ninette de Valois, Frederick Ashton, and administrators at Royal Opera House. He documented tours, repertoire choices, and premieres while liaising with international companies including Kirov Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and touring groups from United States and Australia. His writing and public advocacy influenced patrons tied to institutions like the Arts Council of Great Britain and donors associated with Covent Garden restorations and repertoire commissions.

Broadcasting and lecturing

A frequent broadcaster and lecturer, Haskell delivered talks for organizations and broadcasters including British Broadcasting Corporation radio and international lecture circuits that reached audiences familiar with European cultural diplomacy, Commonwealth arts administration, and museum-linked programmes at institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum and British Museum. He gave pre-performance talks, taught courses connected to conservatoires such as Royal Academy of Dance and Royal College of Music, and engaged in panels alongside critics and scholars from universities including Oxford and Cambridge.

Personal life and honors

Haskell married and maintained friendships with dancers, choreographers, and cultural figures such as Margot Fonteyn, Frederick Ashton, and writers in the Bloomsbury Group orbit. He received honors including appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and was recognized by dance institutions and cultural bodies across United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations. His papers and correspondence, containing exchanges with personalities like Sergei Diaghilev, Anna Pavlova, and George Balanchine, remain a resource for historians studying 20th-century performance and the institutional history of ballet.

Category:British dance critics Category:1903 births Category:1980 deaths