Anna Friedrike Heinel (4 October 1753 – 17 March 1808) was a German ballerina who trained in Stuttgart. She enjoyed a highly successful career both in Paris and London.

Biography

Born in

Bayreuth Bayreuth ( or ; High Franconian German, Upper Franconian: Bareid, ) is a Town#Germany, town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtel Mountains. The town's roots date back to 11 ...

, Heinel studied under

Jean-Georges Noverre Jean-Georges Noverre (29 April 1727 19 October 1810) was a French dancer and ballet master, and is generally considered the creator of ''ballet d'action'', a precursor of the narrative ballets of the 19th century. His birthday is now observed a ...

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...

where she made her début in 1767. The following year, she performed ''La Vénitienne'' in Paris where she was known as "La Reine de la danse" (Queen of the Dance). She went on to create roles in ''Omphale'' (1769), ''Hippomène et Atalante'' (1769), ''Le Prix de la Valeur'' (1771) and ''La Cinquantaine'' (1771). As a result of her exceptional ability (she is thought to have invented the

pirouette In dance and gymnastics, a turn is a rotation of the body about the vertical axis. It is usually a complete rotation of the body, although quarter (90°) and half (180°) turns are possible for some types of turns. Multiple, consecutive turns are ...

), she became a threat to

Gaétan Vestris Gaetano Apolline Baldassarre Vestris (18 April 1729 – 23 September 1808), French ballet dancer, was born in Florence and made his debut at the opera in 1749. Life Born of an Italian theatrical family, he studied dance with Louis Dupré at th ...

with the result that she was relegated to secondary roles. She therefore left Paris for London where she danced for a time at the King's Theatre with Noverre. In 1773, she returned to Paris where she was well received. There she danced in ''Orphée et Euridice'' (1774), ''Appelle et Campagne'' (1776), ''Alceste'' (1776), ''Armide'' (1777), ''Les Horaces'' (1777), ''La Fête de Village'' (1778), ''Iphigénie en Tauride'' (1779), ''Echo et Narcisse'' (1779), ''Atys'' (1780) and ''La Fête de Mirza'' (1781). She retired from the stage in 1782. In Paris, she began a relationship with Vestris. They had a son, Adolphe, in 1791, and were married in 1792. She died in Paris on 17 March 1808.

References

1753 births 1808 deaths German ballerinas People from Bayreuth Prima ballerinas 18th-century German ballet dancers Vestris family {{Ballet-bio-stub