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Partners Carlos Acosta and Gary Avis, and cast members stood firm as she vainly attempted them to join her in acknowledging the audience—instead they applauded her. Conductor of the evening Barry Wordsworth was embraced and held, and former partners and teachers – among them, Anthony Dowell, Donald MacLeary, (in dashing tartan trews) Jonathon Cope and Christopher Saunders - piled enormous white bouquets of peonies, roses and lilies, at her feet. Monica Mason came on stage with a microphone and finally coaxed the dazed Darcey to the front of the stage, where the Royal Ballet director told the audience in trembling voice that Darcey’s dancing had said more eloquently than any words what they felt about her. ‘She’s the most wonderful company member, and it has taken such courage to make this decision, but we will always have this image of her in this ballet.” And turning to Darcey she said, ‘You have given everything to the Royal Ballet and we are very grateful. We love you so much.” Again tears flowed, not just from the two venerable ladies of the ballet world but from the adoring audience too.
 

It was then the dancers’ turn to lay bouquets on the steadily mounting heap and finally the whole company was on stage applauding along with the audience. The clapping continued for another 20 minutes and even when the red plush curtain had descended on the 2006/7 Royal Ballet season, the audience still wanted more, so she came out taking bow after bow as the flowers continued to pour down. And when she finally bid farewell, she blew a kiss and, in a true ‘Darcey’ moment, gave a ‘kiddies’ wave - scrunching up her fingers and opening them quickly.
 

It may have been Darcey Bussell’s evening but she was not the only one departing the company. Another of our home grown ballerinas, first soloist, Belinda Hatley, also said farewell to her fellow dancers and the audience after a delightful performance in Ashton’s ‘Symphonic Variations’. Indeed each of the six dancers made the occasion special. Hatley, Roberta Marquez and Laura Morera sparkled and the three men, Frederico Bonelli, Steven McRae and Ludovic Ondiviela made an impressive trio showing off technical finesse and musicality. Belinda demonstrated in this performance that she has still much to offer the dance world, and it was sad to realize that this was her swansong. She joined the company from the Royal Ballet School in 1988, (the same year as Bussell), and has danced many leading roles in the ensuing years, though, sadly, her career has been plagued with injuries. Her performances showed her a serene and thoughtful dancer, lyrical and thoughtful, with true English style - exacting and refined, but never flashy. So, as she took her final solos bows, the audience and fellow dancers showed their love and appreciation by cheering and honouring her with bouquets. (Were there any flowers left in London that night?)..

But back to MacMillan’s ‘Song’ which portends inevitable death—the end of life (career?) as we know it. Despite the thrills of Acosta, the macho power of Avis’s reliable partnering and the support of an excellent team—special mention for Ricardo Cevera, Mara Galeazzi,Yohei Sasaki and Martin Harvey—the night belonged to only one person. Her dancing was from the heart, edged with emotion. Her lines were always beautiful and effortless. Her lovely long legs whipped skywards, splicing the air. No matter what body distortions she had to make, she never showed an ugly angle. Throughout her dancing life, she has draped her unique qualities elegantly on the shrine of classical ballet, making the art even more beautiful. And above all, she has always been gracious and full of fun—another ‘Princess of Hearts’, and not only in the realm of ballet.
 

So, a bittersweet ending of a chapter in this famous Royal Ballet dancer’s history but one that will no doubt have sequels in other departments of the dance world – rumours already abound of tap and ballroom performances in the future. We’ll miss you Darcey but we take warm and cherished memories of your life as principal ballerina of the Royal Ballet.