๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฒ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ญ….
These days in October 1979, Freddie is fiercely rehearsing with the Royal Ballet 
Wayne Eaglingโs first meeting with Freddie..
In August 1979, Royal Ballet principle Wayne Eagling went looking for a particularly limber star to join their ranks for a charity gala performance. After Kate Bush turned them down, Eagling turned his attention to Freddie Mercury.
Though his initial reaction was less than favorable (โI thought they were mad!โ), he eventually warmed to the idea after speaking to the head of EMI, Sir Joseph Lockwood, who also happened to be the chairman of the Royal Ballet board of governors. โFreddie had a general interest in the ballet, but Lockwood really got him fired up,โ said Queen manager John Reid in The Great Pretender. โHe was fascinated by the scale. It was epic. And everything about Freddieโs performance was epic.โ It was a perfect match.
Wayne said, โIt was a wonderful first meeting Freddie turned up wearing tights and ballet shoes. We all took one look at him and nearly fainted. I remember we were in the middle of rehearsing Bohemian Rhapsody, when in walked the choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton.โ
He asked me what I was doing , then suddenly scowled at Freddie and demanded in a strangled voice
โ AND WHO IS HE โ
Homeย >ย PUBLIC APPEARANCESย >ย Freddie is fiercely rehearsing with the Royal Ballet
A little embarrassed, I replied โ He a famous rock starโ Ashton looked at Freddie up and down and snapped:
โ WELL HEโS GOT TERRIBLE FEETโ
โPoor Freddie, and I thought he was being rather sweet, trying to point his toes so carefully, but fortunately he thought it was funny.โ
Despite Mercuryโs athletic performances with Queen, it would take intense rehearsals to get him up to par.
Wayne Eagling
Canadian ballet dancer, now retired. After more than twenty years as a popular member of The Royal Ballet in London, he became well known as an international choreographer and company director
โThey (The Royal Ballet) asked me. They actually thought I could dance. So they asked me to do this charity concert. Then I realized, how I could dance. I appreciate their discipline and dedication a hell of a lot. I mean, itโs a different kind of dedication than you have to apply to what Iโm doing. I donโt think I could ever do it because itโs like learning someone elseโs steps. I do things that I want to do and itโs all very free-form. They had me practicing at the barre and all that, stretching my legsโฆ trying to do things in a week that theyโd been doing for years. It was murder. After two days I was in agony. It was hurting me in places I didnโt know I had, dear.โ
Freddie Mercury
Freddie made his grand ballet debut on 7 October at Londonโs Coliseum Theater before 2,500 patrons.
He also met a young man in charge of the Royal Ballet wardrobe named Peter Freestone who Freddie chatted with following his brave performance.
