Martine van Hamel

[2][3][4] Her mother, Manette van Hamel (née Cramer), born in 1913 in Deventer, was a music teacher and violinist who played in a string quartet.

While her father was stationed in Caracas, Venezuela, van Hamel, then age ten, took classes with Henry Danton from The Royal Ballet.

[1][7] She has credited Celia Franca, the Artistic Director, as being an important influence and coach during her development as a ballet dancer.

[8][9][10] She danced variations from Marius Petipa's La Bayadère, Kenneth MacMillan's Solitaire, Antony Tudor's Dark Elegies, and the pas de deux from Le Corsaire with Earl Kraul.

[9] Van Hamel was also the recipient of the seldom awarded Prix de Varna for best artistic interpretation in all categories.

[1][11] "She became established as one of the leading classical ballerinas in America," according to The Oxford Dictionary of Dance, which further described her as "a tall, strong dancer with a technique that embraced both a muscular power and a delicate expressiveness.

"[1] Clive Barnes of The New York Times wrote "her persona is shy, but she is exceedingly womanly, and she bounces happily on the modest but confident trampoline of her personality.

"[15] At 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 m) tall, van Hamel is difficult to partner because on pointe she is taller than many of her leading male counterparts.

[15] The Los Angeles Times noted that "she has lost coveted roles due to her height" despite "all the celebrated majesty of her dancing.

[18] In the late 70s, van Hamel alongside ABT partner Kevin McKenzie, co-founded the New Amsterdam Ballet which was officially incorporated on 24 August 1982.

[1] She returned to ABT in 2004 to teach at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and to occasionally perform character roles with the professional dance company.

[29] In 1972, van Hamel's father, Diederik, retired after serving as Consul General to the Netherlands in New York City.