“Dancing makes you feel heaps better” – Diana

In 1981, after the wedding of the century, Anne Allan, a dancer, and ballet mistress with the London City Ballet, was offered an unusual assignment. Her Royal Highness Diana, the Princess of Wales, wanted dance lessons. Would Anne be her teacher?

Anne and her royal pupil were soon meeting at a private studio for the first of hundreds of secret weekly one-hour lessons that were never on the princess’s official schedule and never be discovered by the ever-lurking press. Under Anne’s direction, Diana mounted her spectacular debut on the stage of Covent Garden, videotaped a solo performance at Her Majesty’s Theatre, and made clandestine backstage visits to ballets and West End shows for the Princess to get as close as she could to the lives and work of real dancers.

Over the course of nine years, teacher and pupil became close friends. Diana appreciated having an outsider to whom she could speak candidly about her personal challenges and her place in the royal world. They would talk, laugh, cry, and—always—dance.

Most importantly, Diana learned to express her true self in physical movement. By her last class, the Princess had learned to carry herself with confidence, poise, and grace, both inside and outside the studio. Dance, says Anne, had “nourished and renewed her soul.”

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

“I have often been bitterly disappointed with interviews regarding the Princess. There was always so much more to this incredible woman than what was depicted. I hope that anyone reading the book will appreciate this fresh look at the more personal side of Diana, enjoy hearing stories about our friendship and share in our fun times, as well as finding a deeper understanding of just how extraordinary she was.” – Anne Allan

Anne Allan is a theatre director, a producer, artistic director, and educator. Her career began as a classical dancer, training on scholarship at the Royal Ballet School in London, England. After becoming ballet mistress for London City Ballet, she was invited to become the private dance teacher to Her Royal Highness, Diana, Princess of Wales and did so for 9 years.

She joined the musical theatre world to assist esteemed choreographer Gillian Lynne, on the original London Production of Phantom on the Opera. Once in Toronto, she joined the artistic team of Livent, collaborating on the Tony Award winning shows, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Showboat, Ragtime, and Barrymore; starring Christopher Plummer.

Her career continued as Artistic Director for the Charlottetown Festival for ten years, where she directed the iconic Canadian classic Anne of Green Gables and created new works. Most recently Anne, as a Creative Advisor and Associate Producer has been developing new, original theatrical productions.

Anne Allan currently lives in Toronto.

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