<B>Expert's expert: Gillian Lynne</B> <BR>By Colin Brennan<P> <BR>At 75, Lynne has choreographed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which, with a previous success, The Phantom of the Opera, is playing in London's West End. Her seminal interpretation of T.S. Eliot's Cats has just closed after a triumphant 21-year run, taking ý136m. Classically trained, she lists the experts in her field.<P>Ninette de Valois <BR>She was not only the founder of the Sadler's Wells company, which became the Royal Ballet, but, while managing it with an iron grip, she was still always witty and inspiring. In creating beautifully observed, highly detailed characters she used a wide palette and was light years ahead of her time.<P>Fred Astaire <BR>For me, Astaire had everything and he will never be equalled. When you think of line as in paintings or cars, he brought it to dance with a sleekness that spoke to people. He showed what a human body can do and he did it all with a lovely insouciance.<P><B>Sorry folks, the FT is using much clunkier addresses now, so you will have to copy and paste this one:</B><BR> <P><A HREF="http://search.ft.com/search/article.html?id=020608001357&query=ballet&vsc_appId" TARGET=_blank>http://search.ft.com/search/article.html?id=020608001357&query=ballet&vsc_appId</A> <BR>=quickSearch&offset=0&resultsToShow=10&vsc_subjectConcept=&vsc_companyConcept=<BR>&state=More&vsc_publicationGroups=TOPWFT&searchCat=-1<BR> <P><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited June 10, 2002).]

erm - no surprises there, then.

To be fair, Jacques Le Coq is a new name to me. But, perhaps it shouldn't be.