Sarah Woodcock, Dynamo Michael Somes: A Life in the Royal Ballet.

This book review discusses the biography of Michael Somes, a dancer, director, and choreographer in the Royal Ballet. The author highlights Somes' influence on Frederick Ashton and the careers of many principal dancers in the company. The biography explores Somes' early training, his rise to principal dancer and partner of Margot Fonteyn, and his later roles as repetiteur and assistant director. The review acknowledges Somes' strict discipline and irascible nature, but also emphasizes his generosity, love for the dancers, and dedication to the art of ballet. The author notes that Somes' contributions were privately acknowledged by the company, despite his abrupt dismissal in 1984. The review concludes by praising the book as a fascinating and readable history of English ballet from the 1940s onwards. [Extracted from the article]