Hester Santlow was a British ballerina and actress, who has been called "England's first ballerina". She was influential in many spheres of theatrical life.
Occupation
dancer, actor, ballet dancer
Citizenship
Kingdom of Great Britain
Born
1690
Died
1773
Overview
Hester Santlow (married name Hester Booth; c. 1690 – 1773) was a noted British dancer and actress, who has been called "England's first ballerina". She was influential in many spheres of theatrical life.
Life
Hester Santlow was born circa 1690, and by about 1705 had produced an illegitimate daughter named Harriet; the father was James Craggs. Harriet married
firstly in 1726 Richard Eliot, having 9 children, including Edward Craggs-Eliot, 1st Baron Eliot,
secondly in 1749 to John Hamilton, by whom she had a son, John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn.
Career
In 1706, Santlow made her first appearance as a dancer at Drury Lane, and three years later as an actress on the London stage. Some of her earliest roles included Harlequin, for which she earned a considerable boost in her reputation.
John Essex, in the preface of The Dancing Master (1728), his translation of Pierre Rameau's Le Maître à danser, writes:
