alida sempill

(nee glasbeek)
MAC.ROB student, 1958-1961
PORTRAIT GALLERY INDUCTEE, 2022
principal ballerina

Alida was born in 1944 in France where her family was being hidden from the Nazis by subsistence farmers, the Souquets. In 1949, Alida’s family emigrated to Melbourne.

She began studying ballet at the Borovansky Ballet Academy, and, at the age of eight, moved to adult classes. By age 11, she was chosen by the Borovansky Ballet Company (forerunner of the Australian Ballet) to create the leading role of Clara in David Lichine’s Nutcracker. Alida performed in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane until she commenced her studies at Mac.Rob.

Alida studied Year 12 remotely while touring as part of an initiative to bring ballet to outback NSW and Queensland. She received a Commonwealth Scholarship to undertake a BA at the University of Melbourne. Alida instead accepted an invitation to be the first Australian to study at Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet, however in 1962 she left the USSR following the outbreak of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In London, Alida became Guest Artist at the London Ballet and later Principal Dancer at Ballet Rambert, under the direction of the then doyenne of British ballet, Dame Marie Rambert. It was here that Alida took up the professional stage name of Alida Belair. In 1966, Alida moved to the US and danced at principal level with the National Ballet, Chicago Ballet, New York City Ballet, San Diego Ballet Company, and the American Ballet Theatre.

In 1969, Alida returned to Australia to be with her parents, who were unwell. She danced with the Australian Ballet before retiring from performing in 1970. She then married Simon Sempill and had two sons, Julian and Stephen (both of whom attended Melbourne High School, as did Alida’s brother, Harry). Alida taught ballet, movement and Pilates, and studied Arts at the University of Melbourne. Her memoir, Out of Step, was published by Melbourne University Press in 1993.