Marie Rambert

• • Born in Warsaw in 1888
• Inspired by Isadora Duncan
• Worked with Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe
• Moved to England during WW1
• Married to Ashley Dukes
• 1926 Marie Rambert and her students presented the ballet A Tragedy of Fashion by Frederick Ashton, then one of her students, as part of a revue at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. It is said that this piece marked the birth of British Ballet.
• The Mercury Theatre was owned by Rambert’s husband, Ashley Dukes, and acted as a base for the Company for many years.
• During the Second World War, Ballet Rambert became a full time touring company and, as the Company had outgrown the tiny Mercury Theatre
• most frequent London performances were at Sadler’s Wells.
• During the war the Company did a great deal of valuable work appearing in a range of venues including factory canteens as well as theatres, and in this way made its own contribution to the war effort.
• • encourage production of new works by both new & established choreographers,
  • preserve master works which constitute Ballet Rambert’s artistic heritage,
  • to give regular sessions in London and to tour selected dates in provinces and abroad.