Harold George Robinson (1919-2012)
A Memoir 

By Elena Philp

After I heard the news of Harold’s death I deeply regretted not seeing him in his last years. I spent the rest of the day pondering alone over the remarkable life of this man, who had made an impact on so many people in his long life. Some of us lead monochromatic lives, or perhaps ones of gentle pastels, but Harold’s life was full of dramatic colour applied with great flourish.

After serving in WWII, he was successfully accepted into the Sadler’s Wells Ballet at the age of 26, remarkably late according to conventional thinking. But Harold was always destined to flout the rules of ‘convention’. After performing with Sadler’s Wells, he went on to perform with the Vienna State Ballet then joined the International Ballet in London, and his flamboyance was able to shine when he joined the Windmill Follies in 1952.

Early in 1971 he began choreographing a major work ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’. I have forgotten which sin was allocated to Kilda but he decided that I would be Lust. Me, the Sunday School girl! Then the musical ‘Hair’ burst into Auckland in March to a mixed reception.

When I reflected on the fullness of his life, from performing as a ten year old, to his years as a layperson in the Anglican Church, to his time serving in the army and then in his mid twenties becoming a classical ballet dancer, I realised how much his life experiences informed his teaching. However his insight was innate as was his love of life.

Read full article  (Iss. 28) Harold George Robinson