Ballet History: Sir Frederick Ashton

In the middle of the twentieth century, ballet had a golden age. Going to the ballet was an important social event and was the place to be seen (including tiaras and evening gowns!). Dancers and choreographers were celebrities and in many cases, household names. However, those influential figures have largely been forgotten despite their incredible careers. This year, I am going to highlight and explore some of these people in ballet history. I’ve decided to start with one of the most notable choreographers of the last century, Sir Frederick Ashton. 

Who Is Frederick Ashton?

If you are familiar with (Dame) Margot Fonteyn, you might know of Sir Frederick Ashton. He was the principal choreographer for Ninette de Valois, the director of Vic Wells Ballet (which would go on to become the Royal Ballet), and was then the director of the Royal Ballet himself from 1963 to 1970. He created several of the ballets that the Royal Ballet is still known for, and worked with Fonteyn, Michael Somes, and Moira Shearer among other dancers. 

Ashton’s Early Life

Ashton was born in 1904 in Ecuador to British parents; the family moved to Peru in 1907. After seeing Anna Pavlova dancing when he was 13, Ashton decided that he would become a dancer. His parents sent him back to England in 1919 to attend boarding school, though it was not a particularly good fit. He left school in 1921, and took a job in the City in an import-export firm. Much like school, the job did not work for Ashton. 

A Later-in-Life Dancer

While he was working in the City, Ashton was taking ballet classes. At the age of twenty, he was accepted to study under Russian choreographer Léonide Massine, and then the Polish-born Marie Rambert. Most dancers start studying in early childhood, making this an incredibly late start. Rambert in particular would take her students to see any available performances, which would inspire Ashton to begin choreographing his own works. In particular, Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes were a strong influence. Ashton created his first ballet, Capriol Suite, in 1930 (at the age of 23). 

A Lasting Relationship with Ninette de Valois

Ashton started working with Irish-born British dancer and choreographer Ninette de Valois in 1931. De Valois established the company that would become the Royal Ballet, the touring company that would become the Birmingham Royal Ballet, as well as the Royal Ballet School. She had danced with the Ballets Russes, and finished her dancing career as a Prima Ballerina Assoluta. 

Ashton’s first ballet for de Valois’s Vic-Wells Ballet, Regatta, was met with mixed reviews in 1931, but she recognised his talent. As early as 1935, Ashton was creating roles for a young Margot Fonteyn. He would continue to create on Fonteyn for decades. 

World War II

Like many other men in Britain, Ashton was called up. He worked in the Royal Air Force in a few different roles, including analysing photographs and then an intelligence officer. Periodically throughout the war, Ashton was given leave to work with the ballet. Many of his pieces created during this period focused on the theme of chivalry; few of these ballets survive in entirety with music. 

A New Royal Life

The post-war period was prosperous for both the company and for Ashton. The company (then known as the Sadler’s Wells Ballet) was invited to become the resident company of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Ashton was selected to create the ballet’s first production for their new home; Symphonic Variations premiered in 1946 and is still performed by the Royal Ballet. It is a one-act ballet, with only six dancers- the original production included Fonteyn. 

In 1956, the company was given the title of the Royal Ballet. In the 1950s, Ashton worked on several different operas and ballets for other companies, as well as creating full length ballets for the Royal Ballet. 

Ashton’s Enduring Legacy

Several Ashton ballets are still performed to this day. His 1960 creation, Le fille mal gardée, is one of his most notable ballets. However, his shorter productions are also still popular. He created Marguerite and Armand for Fonteyn and Nureyev in 1963, and The Two Pigeons for the touring company. The Royal Ballet regularly performs Ashton pieces, and streams rehearsals and presentations on Ashton and his works on YouTube and their own streaming service. 

In the twenty-first century, his ballets have been performed by more and more international ballets. The Frederick Ashton Foundation was established in 2011 to preserve his legacy and his surviving works; the Foundation works closely with the Royal Ballet. 

Here is to Sir Frederick Ashton! 

Cheers,
The Historian
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