Princess Diana Had a Secret Dance Teacher; Her Memoir Will Become a Doc

Sphere Media, a Canadian TV and film producer, has secured the rights to Dancing With Diana: A Memoir by Scottish/Canadian dancer Anne Allan, who was Princess Diana‘s top secret dance teacher and co-choreographed a legendary Uptown Girl routine at Covent Garden for her. And Glasgow-based Two Rivers Media and Sphere have struck their first co-production deal to make a 90-minute feature documentary based on the memoir, published last year, they said on Wednesday.

Sphere Abacus will distribute the documentary globally. 

“The documentary will chronicle the nine-year period from early 1981 when Allan served as Princess Diana’s private — and top secret — dance teacher,” according to a description of the project. “Over hundreds of weekly one-hour lessons at a private dance studio, teacher and pupil forged a close friendship as Diana negotiated stratospheric fame, the joy of motherhood, her crumbling marriage and her struggle with bulimia. In her role as confidante as well as teacher, Allan gained a unique insight into the princess’s life, challenges, passions and achievements.”

Said Allan: “I am thrilled that Sphere Media and Two Rivers Media have chosen to bring to screen Dancing with Diana. As a Glaswegian who lives in Canada, this is a very special partnership for me, that I’m so looking forward to seeing realized!”

She added: “During my time with the Princess, I was so fortunate to witness not only Diana’s profound love of dance, but a much more personal side of her. I hope that viewers of the documentary will appreciate this fresh look as well as discover a deeper understanding of just how extraordinary she was.”

The producers promise that the documentary will include never-before-seen archival material, including photographs, personal gifts and notes from the princess. It will also feature “new interviews with royal insiders, celebrities, Hollywood A-listers and several of Diana’s closest friends.”

Seen through the lens of Allan’s memories, the audience will be guided through “Diana’s transformation from shy newlywed to global superstar — a woman with the skill and confidence to dance in front of the world to Billy Joel’s Uptown Girl at London’s Royal Opera House, partnered by Wayne Sleep, and take to the floor with John Travolta at The White House,” the companies said.