Between May 19th, 1941, when Moira Shearer joined The International Ballet in Glasgow for its premiere performance and February 8th ,1942 when she left the company as it completed a week of performances in Sheffield, she probably danced at every performance if not in every ballet. I have records (programmes and newspaper accounts) for 181 performances by her. At some theatres where the company is known to have appeared, for example, the Theatre Royal in Norwich, there are no day-to-day records. If such locations are taken in account Shearer probably danced in more than 200 performances over the 10-month period. At many theatres the company would dance every night and there might be between 2 to 4 matinee performances each week.
However, there was some occasional respite and on July 12th, 1941, after the final appearance at the Hippodrome in Brighton, the company took a 5-week holiday. Shearer probably returned to her parent’s home that, at the date, was probably in Scotland.
Programme for The International Ballet performances at The Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London for September 25th 1941. Moira Shearer danced in three of the four ballets.
The Lyric Theatre, September 25th, 1941. The cast for Endymion, a ballet choreographed by the director, Mona Inglesby. Moira Shearer danced as one of five “clouds”.
The typical week for the company ran from either Monday or Tuesday to Saturday. Sunday and sometimes Monday were set aside for travel.
In 1941 the season began in May in Glasgow and after a week’s performances moved to Birmingham, then Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Bradford and Brighton. After the summer break the company opened in the West End at the Lyric Theatre for a 6-week run. After a short break in early October, it moved onto Norwich, Leamington Spa and Stratford, then to Harrow, Glasgow, Oxford, Cardiff, Northampton, Nottingham, Aberdeen and Coventry. The final three week-run was at the Manchester Opera House. It extended through Christmas and the New Year.
This was followed by a 2 week break in January 1942, after which the company opened in Blackpool for a 2-week run. On February 1st, they moved on to Harrogate, and then to Sheffield, where the season ended on February 28th.
All of Shearer’s roles were minor, for example, as above, as a cloud in Endymion, but she was on stage for much of each performance. In addition to Endymion she danced roles in Aurora’s Wedding, Lac des Cygnes, Planetomania, Carnaval, Fete Boheme and Les Sylphides. The company was very small and thus, in the case of some ballets such as Les Sylphides and Fete Boheme every dancer was involved.
As can be readily appreciated, especially when the longer train journeys between venues is taken into account, it was a demanding schedule for all involved.
Shearer’s mother was sometimes on hand to give her daughter support but she was usually in the capable hands of Mona Inglesby who led the company and was the principal dancer. Inglesby probably provided what limited instruction was available to Shearer. For the most part, however, she probably learned by performing.
In her 1976 (1978) interview with the American dance historian, Dale Harris, Shearer makes scant reference to the year of her life spent at The International Ballet. However, what little she says reveals two issues that characterize much of her ballet career.
“Although my time at International Ballet wasn’t particularly happy …. I was so much younger than anyone else and was of slight build. But it was still good for me and knocked me into shape. Planetomania was where I got my chance, as they say. The guardian swallow is a tiny little solo. (I had) a black sleek headdress like a swallow’s head. Thank goodness all my hair was covered up, not a wisp showing, so if anybody thought I danced well they couldn’t say “her success is only because of her red hair”. Because that is something I have died a thousand deaths over”.
Programme for The International Ballet on June 23rd, 1941 at The Nottingham Theatre Royal.. Moira Shearer danced her first solo as a “guardian swallow”.
Sources.
Moira Shearer interviewed by Dale Harris in Edinburgh, August 29th 1976 and September 1st 1978. Transcript of an audiotape held at the New York City Library, Lincoln Center.
Various theatre programmes including the Lyric Theatre, London and provincial venues such as Birmingham, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Nottingham.
Moira Shearer 
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