LAVERNE Meyer, who has died aged 73, was the Canadian-born dancer, choreographer and ballet director who was instrumental in founding Northern Dance Theatre in Manchester which would later become Northern Ballet, based in Leeds.
The company, with just 10 dancers, gave its first performance at the University Theatre, Manchester, on November 28, 1969, accompanied by musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music.
It now has 40 dancers, and is one of the four largest bal
let companies in England.
Laverne resigned in 1975 and took up teaching.
His ballets include The Web, Schubert Variations, Cinderella and Aladdin.
His dance training began in Canada, and continued when he came to England in 1956 when he joined the Sadlers Wells School.
To begin with it was not a happy experience, and at one stage he thought of returning to Canada and joining the National Ballet of Canada. However, at a class in Anna Northcote's studio he met Elizabeth West, who was in the process of founding Western Theatre Ballet, which she invited him to join.
Based in Bristol and with 10 dancers and an enterprising repertoire of "chamber" ballets, it was the first of the regional companies.
Laverne would later point out that at that time (1950s to early 1960s) there was no "contemporary dance" as we know it today, and consequently Western Theatre Ballet were pioneers in creating dramatic work about real people in the modern world. Laverne created roles in many of these ballets and was appointed ballet master and then associate director.
Following Elizabeth West's death, there was uncertainty about the future of Western and Laverne was asked to prepare a feasibility study for a regional company in the North West, based in Manchester. This led to the founding of Northern Dance Theatre.
Starting with 10 dancers – some joining him from Western – Laverne had plans to add two extra dancers each year as the repertoire expanded.
He continued as founder director of Northern Dance Theatre until 1975 when a divergence of views persuaded him to resign.
He went on to produce ballets for other companies and started to teach, continuing as guest teacher with many distinguished companies and schools around the world, eventually retiring in 2000.
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