{{short description|Australian ballerina}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Elaine Fifield | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = 28 October 1930 | birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | death_date = 11 May 1999 (aged 68) | death_place = Perth, Western Australia, Australia | death_cause = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = Ballerina | known for = | title = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | boards = | spouse = John Lanchbery<br /> Les Farley | children = 3 daughters | parents = | relatives = | website = }}
'''Elaine Fifield''' (28 October 1930 - 11 May 1999) was an Australian ballerina, perhaps best known for creating the title role in John Cranko's comic ballet ''Pineapple Poll'' in 1951.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/may/31/guardianobituaries1|title=Elaine Fifield|first=Mary|last=Clarke|date=31 May 1999|website=The Guardian|accessdate=28 July 2018}}</ref>
==Early life== Elaine Fifield was born in Sydney, New South Wales on 28 October 1930.<ref name="independent.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-elaine-fifield-1095745.html|title=Obituary: Elaine Fifield|author=|date=24 May 1999|website=independent.co.uk|accessdate=28 July 2018}}</ref> She trained at the Scully School and with Leon Kelloway, in Australia.<ref name="Guardian"/> In 1945, she won a Royal Academy of Dance scholarship, and trained at the Royal Ballet School.<ref name="Guardian"/>
==Career== In 1947, Fifield joined Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet. Her work there included lead dancer in ''Selina'' (1948), a ballet choreographed by Andrée Howard to the music of Rossini, scenario and design by Peter Williams.<ref>[http://www.rohcollections.org.uk/record.aspx?ref=110001475&collection=Roger%20Wood%20Photographic%20Collection&row=3&searchtype=collection&keyword=%22Selina%22 Photographs from Royal Opera House Collections Online]</ref> She also appeared as a dancer in the 1948 Crown Film Unit film, ''Steps of the Ballet'', also with choreography by Howard, and music by Arthur Benjamin, directed by Muir Mathieson.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/EnglishNationalBallet/videos/10153465889816028 English National Ballet Videos: ''Steps of the Ballet'']</ref>
In 1954 moved to The Royal Ballet,<ref name="Guardian"/> where the following year she danced in the Frederick Ashton ballet (to music by Benjamin Britten) ''Variations on a Theme of Purcell'', portraying the oboe.<ref>[http://www.frederickashton.org.uk/variations.html Frederick Ashton Foundation archive]</ref> In 1957, she returned to Australia and joined the Borovansky Ballet, which was to form the basis of The Australian Ballet.<ref name="Guardian"/> In 1964, she returned as a principal artist with The Australian Ballet, having been invited to do so by its artistic director, Peggy van Praagh.<ref name="Guardian"/>
==Personal life== Fifield married the Director of the Royal Ballet, John Lanchbery, in 1951, but their marriage was dissolved in 1960.<ref name="JL Guardian Obituary"/> They had a daughter, Margaret Lanchbery, who lived in Melbourne and survived both of her parents.<ref name="JL Guardian Obituary"/> Lanchbery became an Australian citizen in 2002, and resided in Melbourne, where he died on 27 February 2003.<ref name="JL Guardian Obituary">{{cite news|title=Obituary of John Lanchbery, The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2003/feb/28/dance|work=The Guardian|date=28 February 2003|access-date=22 August 2014}}</ref> In 1960, she married the plantation owner Les Farley, by whom she had two more daughters.<ref name="independent.co.uk"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fifield, Elaine}} Category:1930 births Category:1999 deaths Category:Australian ballerinas Category:Entertainers from Sydney Category:People educated at the Royal Ballet School Category:Australian Ballet principal dancers