Lloyd, Maude (1908–2004)
Lloyd, Maude (1908–2004)
South African ballet dancer and critic. Name variations: Mrs. Nigel Gosling; (pseudonym) Alexander Bland. Born Aug 16, 1908, in Cape Town, South Africa; died Nov 26, 2004, in London, England; studied with Helen Webb; m. Nigel Gosling (art critic), 1939 (died 1982); children: Nicholas.
Trained with Marie Rambert in London, before joining Rambert Dancers and Ballet Club; remained with Ballet Rambert (1927–40) and performed in numerous premieres of Antony Tudor, including Cross-Garter'd (1931), Mr. Roll's Quadrilles (1932), The Descent of Hebe (1935), and as Caroline in Jardin aux Lilas (1936); also created roles for Frederick Ashton's Dances from the Fairy Queen (1927), A Florentine Picture (1930), La Péri (1931), Mercury (1931), The Lady of Shalott (1931) and Valentine's Eve (1935), among others, as well as for Andrée Howard's La Fête Étrange (1940); retired from the stage to undertake war work (1940); with husband (under joint name of Alexander Bland), wrote dance critiques for The Observer (1955–82), which were collected as Observer of the Dance (1985); also collaborated with him on other books, including A History of Ballet and Dance (1976) and The Royal Ballet-The First 50 Years (1981).