Alison Willett

12th March 1952 to 7th October 2008

Carol Venn pays tribute to Alison Willett, whose friends and colleagues spanned many faculties

Following years of ill-health Alison passed away on 7th October 2008. She was a devoted and loyal friend to me and I have the privilege of being Godmother to her two wonderful sons, Marcus and Ben.

Although I clearly recall Alison’s participation in All-England Finals when she was a student of Sheila Tozer, I only got to know her really well as a young teacher during my ISTD days. Upon her retirement to Brighton Sheila Tozer had passed the Nottingham based Tozer Studios over to Alison. It is fair to say that Alison had a rather more artistic than business outlook on life at that time. However, between us, and with family help, we gradually developed more efficient methods, spent considerable time searching for suitable studio accommodation and from there it became one of the most thriving and established schools in the country.

Choreographically she was unique and ahead of her time. Her Janet Cram arrangements for her young pupils will be clearly remembered by many of you. They showed a musicality and depth of interpretation seldom witnessed in those days. What most remains in my mind was their ‘suitability’ for their age. Alison never resorted to ‘trendiness’ and ‘tricks’ in order to make an impression – everything she arranged was musically intuitive. It had not just been ‘taught’ but had been explained and discussed with her young student so that they had total understanding of what was required of them.

She and I seemed to share a similar musical appreciation and on numerous occasions we would sit into the ‘wee small hours’ listening to music and cutting it. Alison would then wander around my very small flat choreographing what she wanted to do with it.

She was trained for her Fellowship Modern by the late Moyra Gay and for her Fellowship Ballet by my Mother, Ivy Baker. She actually gained her Modern Fellowship qualification before her 25th birthday and this had to be held over until she was of age! Thus she was probably the youngest teacher to have gained an ISTD Fellowship.

Subsequently, of course, she became one of the youngest ISTD Classical Ballet examiners to be appointed, later followed by her appointment as an examiner on the Modern Faculty after which she was elected to the Committee of the Modern Faculty.

A year or so prior to gaining her Fellowship Alison was invited by the Modern Branch to arrange and develop a syllabus specifically for the training of young boys. The intention was to encourage more boys into dance classes. I was always very aware of how hard she worked on this syllabus. The Course of Movement for Boys was first shown at Congress in 1976. Following this Alison was invited to develop alternative exercises to be included in the Grade examinations. Gerry Zuccarello, now a senior member of the Jazz Faculty at Laine Theatre Arts following a long and prestigious career as a commercial dancer, tells me that Alison’s work completely transformed the training of male dancers of his generation and that, to this day, much of his choreography is reminiscent of the athleticism of Alison’s innovative approach. Much of Alison’s work remains in today’s syllabus and thus her legacy lives on. It is certainly a fact that her work captured the interest of many young boys who subsequently entered the dance profession.

Alison was a person of immense and unswerving faith. Three years ago she became a lay reader attached to Southwell Minster and when ill-health finally prevented her from continuing to examine for the ISTD Ballet and Modern Theatre faculties she increased her role in this area more and more. Her young pupils were frequently to be found performing religious dance in services in the Minster and other local churches. She was, indeed, a ‘one-off’ – a perfectionist, and demanding both of her pupils and others around her but, conversely, so generous in spirit that she would always give back even more.

I had the privilege of spending quality time with her during the weeks following her recent diagnosis of a terminal brain tumour. Despite the sadness surrounding us, it proved to be an enormously uplifting and unforgettable time. There weren’t any ‘no go’ areas in conversation. We found ourselves able to pick up exactly where we had left off after a lengthy time apart. We still found ourselves able to laugh ‘till it hurt’.

One night, after little sleep, and numerous cups of tea and biscuits, Alison was moved to remark to me: “I wonder if elephants ever get anorexia!” After much laughter she explained that she had suddenly had a vision of a herd of elephants with a small skinny sad-looking one in the middle. I vowed to her then that I would write a book about her and call it Anorexic Elephants.

It was comforting for all of us that there was no unfinished business in any area of her life. The last day I was able to have a conversation with her – only a week before she died – she was imparting choreographic ideas for the next Tozer show to her newly appointed Principal, in the absolute knowledge that she would not be there to see it. She fell into a coma later that night.

She leaves two wonderful sons who had the greatest affection for her and whom she had raised as a single parent for the past 20 years. Not only did they demonstrate the deepest love for her, but, unusually these days, they had the utmost respect for her and appreciation for all that she had done and achieved for them. She has supported them wholeheartedly in everything they have done.

Alison’s artistic legacy will undoubtedly live on in Marcus and Ben. They are both musicians, Marcus is training at the Royal Academy for a career in Opera and Ben is a gifted drummer. She also leaves a sister Cheryl, two nephews and a niece, and one must not forget her dear friends Barbara, Carol Lynn and Carol's family who devotedly nursed Alison through her final illness, thus enabling her to spend her last days at Hockerwood where her studios are situated and where she so loved to be.

Alison’s funeral service was held in a packed Southwell Minster on 13th October. Typically, she had arranged it herself and at very short notice Marcus had managed to gather an 18-strong choir who filled the Minster with the most beautiful music. He blew us all away by making a 15 minute tribute to his Mother with only scribbled notes – full of warmth, humour, love and respect. Finally Alison’s choreography to The Lord’s Prayer was performed most beautifully and movingly by one of her young students. It was a wonderful and fitting ceremony that will forever be remembered by those of us present.

I feel so very privileged to have been able to regard Al as such a loyal and devoted friend. Prior to her passing I told her that she would forever be Tap-dancing in my heart – and she will.

Carol Venn