Richard Buckle (12 June 1916 – 10 October 2001) was a British writer, journalist, and historian who specialised in ballet. He is best known for founding the monthly periodical Ballet and for authoring a large number of books and articles on the history of dance, biographies of prominent dancers, and critical commentary on ballet performance.
Early life and education
Buckle was born in London, England. Details of his family background and formal education are not extensively documented in publicly available encyclopedic sources.
Career
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Founding of Ballet magazine
In 1939 Buckle launched Ballet, a monthly magazine dedicated to the art form. The publication quickly became a principal forum for ballet criticism, news, and scholarship in the United Kingdom and maintained a continuous presence (with wartime interruptions) until the early 1990s. -
Writing and criticism
Buckle contributed regularly to Ballet as editor and chief critic. He also wrote for other newspapers and periodicals, providing reviews of productions, profiles of choreographers, and analyses of trends in dance. -
Books
Over a career spanning six decades, Buckle authored more than thirty books, many of which are regarded as standard reference works in the field. Notable titles include:- The World of Ballet (1950) – an illustrated overview of ballet history and repertoire.
- Nureyev: The Artistic Life of the Ballet Dancer (1978) – a biography of Rudolf Nureyev.
- Margot Fonteyn (1979) – a detailed study of the celebrated English ballerina.
- The Life and Times of Anton Dolin (1990) – a biography of the British dancer and choreographer.
His publications are noted for their extensive archival research, use of photographic material, and accessible prose.
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Other activities
Buckle served on advisory panels for several dance institutions and was a regular lecturer on ballet history. He was also involved in the organization of ballet festivals and exhibitions.
Personal life
Buckle was openly gay at a time when homosexuality was still criminalised in the United Kingdom. He never married and had no children. His personal papers, correspondence, and photographic collections are held by the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Library, where they serve as resources for scholars of dance history.
Death and legacy
Richard Buckle died on 10 October 2001 in London at the age of 85. He is remembered for his role in establishing Ballet magazine as a leading voice in the dance community and for his prolific output of well‑researched biographical and historical works, which continue to be cited by scholars, critics, and practitioners of ballet. His archival contributions have provided valuable primary material for subsequent generations of dance historians.