Kimberly Schumacher

The Royal Ballet asked Kate Bush to perform at their charity gala. She said no. So they asked Freddie Mercury — who had zero ballet training. He trained at the barre, leaped across the London Coliseum stage in a silver bodysuit, and finished Bohemian Rhapsody suspended upside down. The standing ovation lasted minutes. In August 1979 — the Royal Ballet had a problem. Principal dancer Wayne Eagling needed a star to perform at a charity gala at the London Coliseum. His first choice was Kate Bush. She turned them down. So he called Freddie Mercury. Freddie's reaction was immediate. "I thought they were mad!" He had never trained in ballet. Never performed classical dance. Never stood at a barre in his life. But the charity was raising money for the City of Westminster Society for Mentally Handicapped Children — and Freddie agreed. He chose two songs — Bohemian Rhapsody and Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Both were choreographed around him. Both were played by a live orchestra with Freddie singing live vocals. Then came the rehearsals. Freddie later told reporters — "They had me practicing at the barre and all that — stretching my legs." He described himself as shivering in the wings with nerves on the night itself. October 7th, 1979. London Coliseum. A packed house of 2,500 people. Freddie walked on stage wearing a glittering silver bodysuit — leaped across the stage — performed lifts, jumps and high kicks alongside professional Royal Ballet dancers. As he sang the final line of Bohemian Rhapsody — "Any way the wind blows" — he was suspended upside down on stage in a crucifix pose. The audience gave him a standing ovation. All 2,500 of them. Roger Taylor watched from the stalls. His verdict afterward was simple. "There was only one person in the world that could have gotten away with it." Kate Bush said no. Freddie Mercury said yes — and made history. #freddiemercury #queen