President

Elizabeth Baker

Elizabeth Baker joined the Chelmsford Ballet Company as an Associate Member and in 1983 auditioned as a dancing member. She danced the role of a friend in La Fille Mal Gardée and has performed in every performance since with, curiously, the exception of The Company’s last La Fille.

Elizabeth was a trained as a dancer in the Royal Academy of Dance style and taught for many years at the same college where she was trained until setting up her own school in Billericay. She gave up the school when her daughter Rosina was born but continued to attend classes with Elisabeth Swan at the Weston Schools of Dancing.
Since then she danced in the Corps de Ballet with her daughter, as well as solo parts, such as the Enchanted Princess (Bluebird Pas de deux) a Merliton and Carabosse twice, in The Sleeping Beauty.

Her talent as a seamstress led to her becoming Wardrobe mistress, a role that she held for many, many years. She retired briefly from the post (although still making and altering costumes) and assisted the then Wardrobe Mistress Tessa Balls, also making tutus for the Royal Ballet Upper School. She was Chairman from 1988 until 1994 when she was invited to become President.

Elizabeth also accepts private commissions for bridal-wear, gives lectures to interested groups, such as the Women’s Institute, on costume making, and sings with the “Hutton and Shenfield Choral Society”.