Val Bourne

Val Bourne talks about her role as publicity officer at Rambert from 1966 to 1976.

After a brief career as a dancer, Val began working in arts administration – first with London Festival Ballet and then at Rambert as the press and publicity officer. In this interview, Val discusses the challenges faced by Rambert as it emerged as a contemporary dance company and explains how the Company went about building a brand new audience. Val vividly recalls key figures from the time, such as Marie Rambert, Norman Morrice and Glen Tetley, and works such as ‘That is the Show’ by Norman Morrice (1971) and ‘Freefall’ by Glen Tetley (1967/1967). Before joining Rambert’s board of trustees in 1986, Val Bourne worked for the Arts Council and Greater London Arts, and it was during this time that she founded Dance Umbrella – London’s annual, international dance festival.

00:03:35 Marie Rambert
00:05:15 Norman Morrice
00:11:05 Glen Tetley
00:12:59 ‘Freefall’ (Tetley, 1967/1967)
00:14:15 ‘Bertram Batell’s Sideshow’ (The Company, 1970)
00:17:53 Dance Unit
00:20:38 Young Vic (thrust stage)
00:23:44 Cobbold Road
00:28:01 ‘That is the Show’ (Morrice, 1971)
00:31:48 Dance Umbrella
00:53:05 Norman Morrice
00:44:34 Richard Alston
00:59:57 Garsington

Interview recorded on 26 October 2016 at Rambert, London.
Interviewer: Claire Izzard; Filmmaker: Paul Izzard

The Rambert Voices oral history project is part of Rambert at 90, a project marking the company’s 90th anniversary, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.