Ursula Moreton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ursula Moreton (13 March 1903 - 24 June 1973) was a British ballerina and teacher, director of the Royal Ballet School from 1952 to 1968.

Early life[]

She was born in Southsea on 13 March 1903.[1]

Career[]

Dancer[]

Moreton studied with Cecchetti and debuted in 1920 in London in The Truth about the Russian Dancers, a play starring Tamara Karsavina. The next year, she was in Serge Diaghilev's staging of The Sleeping Princess and then danced with Léonide Massine's company.[1] She danced roles in the ballets of Ninette de Valois, Frederick Ashton and Fokine.[2]

Teacher[]

From 1926, she worked with Ninette de Valois as her assistant, then from 1931, ballet mistress for Vic-Wells Ballet. From 1946 to 1952, she was assistant director of Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, and from 1952 to 1968, director of the Royal Ballet School.[1]

Created roles[]

All with Ninette de Valois:[2]

  • Les Petits Riens (1928)
  • Hommages aux Belle Viennoises (1929)
  • Narcissus and Echo (1932)

Later life[]

She died in London on 24 June 1973.[1]

Legacy[]

The Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award was created in her honour.

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Ursula Moreton (1903—1973)". Oxford Dictionary of Dance. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Moreton, Ursula (1903–1973)". Dictionary of Women Worldwide: 25,000 Women Through the Ages. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
Retrieved from ""