A blue plaque will be unveiled today, 12 June 2025, at 7 Cascade Avenue, Muswell Hill, commemorating Dame Alicia Markova, the first British-born prima ballerina and a towering figure of 20th-century ballet. A child prodigy who would later co-found the English National Ballet in 1950, Markova's extraordinary talent first took root within this Edwardian house, nestled in the leafy Rookfield Estate. On the advice of a doctor who hoped dance would strengthen her fragile legs – a practice Markova herself later called ‘the nicest kind of medicine’ – she began her early training at a nearby school. This Muswell Hill home also served as a stage for the young Lily Marks' burgeoning creativity, where she and her sisters staged theatrical performances in the garden, complete with elaborate home-made costumes.

English Heritage Historian, Dr Susan Skedd, said:

"Alicia Markova's journey from a young girl in Muswell Hill to an internationally revered prima ballerina is a truly inspiring story of dedication and artistry. This blue plaque at her childhood home serves as a testament to her early passion for dance and the foundations laid here that propelled her to such remarkable heights. As the first British-born prima ballerina, she broke new ground and her legacy continues to inspire dancers worldwide."

Born Lilian Alicia Marks in Finsbury Park, Markova’s family moved to 7 Cascade Avenue in Muswell Hill around 1914. It was in this settled and happy environment that her talent for dance was first recognised and encouraged. Regular dance classes in Muswell Hill, recommended to improve her physical strength, ignited a lifelong love affair with ballet. From this address, she embarked on the path that would see her train with esteemed teachers and ultimately join the legendary Ballets Russes, where her ethereal style and noiseless footwork began to astonish audiences. She would go on to dance for Marie Rambert’s Ballet Club and deliver iconic interpretations of roles like Giselle and The Dying Swan. She worked with leading composers and choreographers such as Igor Stravinsky, George Balanchine and Frederick Ashton and was instrumental in ensuring the success of the Ballet Rambert, the Vic-Wells Ballet (later the Royal Ballet) and the English National Ballet, which she-founded as the Festival Ballet in 1950.

Markova joins an esteemed group of ballet luminaries already honoured with English Heritage blue plaques, including the legendary Dame Margot Fonteyn, recognized for her profound artistry, and her foundational teacher, Princess Seraphine Astafieva, whose demanding regimen in Chelsea shaped Markova's early technique.

The English Heritage London Blue Plaques scheme is generously supported by David Pearl and members of the public.