Dorothea Ashbridge

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Ashbridge in 2019

Dorothea Ashbridge

ONZM
(née Zaymes; 4 March 1928 – 30 December 2021) was a South African-born New Zealand ballet dancer, choreographer, teacher and international ballet judge.

Early life

Ashbridge was born in

Sadler's Wells Ballet School.[1]

Career

Ashbridge joined the

Sadler's Wells Ballet three months after arriving at the Ballet School. There she danced with famous dancers including Margot Fonteyn, Robert Helpmann and Moira Shearer[1][2] and New Zealand dancer Rowena Jackson.[3]

In 1966, after emigrating to New Zealand, Ashbridge branched out from ballet to choreograph pop music television shows C'mon! and Happen Inn.[1][4]

Ashbridge taught a number of New Zealand dancers and choreographers including

New Zealand Ballet Company and from 1991 to 2001 she was a classical ballet coach at UNITEC in Auckland.[1][6]

Ashbridge served on the jury of World Ballet Competitions held in France, China and Japan.[6]

In 2007 Ashbridge performed in a duet with Debra McCulloch at the Tempo Dance Festival; the dance was choreographed by Mary Jane O'Reilly.[1] She was honoured by the Festival in 2011.[7]

Honours and awards

Ashbridge was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to ballet, in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours.[1][4][8]

Ashbridge died on 30 December 2021.

Personal life

Ashbridge married her husband New Zealander Bryan Ashbridge in 1958. He was a dancer with the Royal Ballet. They had one son born in 1965 and shortly after his birth they moved to New Zealand. They divorced in the 1970s.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Schultz, Marianne (25 February 2022). "Obituary: Dorothea Ashbridge - from the Royal Ballet to C'mon!". Stuff. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Covent Garden "Dante Sonata"". The Stage: 9. 29 June 1950 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Rowena Jackson's Odette–Odile". The Stage: 9. 24 May 1956 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ a b c Quinn, Rowan (3 June 2019). "Honours recipient can't imagine a life without dance". RNZ. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  5. ^ Berry, Kevin (3 March 2005). "Putting theory in motion". The Stage: 23 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ a b c "Queen's Birthday Honours 2019 - Citations for Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". 2 June 2019. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ "Calling for nominations for Honouring at Tempo 2019". The Big Idea. 14 November 2018. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Queen's Birthday Honours 2019 | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". 2 June 2019. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

Further reading

  • Elana Kluner. 'Honouring Dorothea Ashbridge.' DANZ Quarterly, Sum 2012; n.26: p. 10.
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