Frederick Ashton
Sir [b]Frederick Ashton[/b] (17 September 1904, Guayaquil, Ecuador 18 August 1988, Eye, Suffolk, England) was a British ballet dancer, choreographer, and opera/film director. He studied with [a=Leonide Massine] and Marie Lambert (1888—1982) and was primarily known as the chief choreographer for [a=Ninette de Valois] from 1935 until his retirement in 1970, succeeding her as [b][a=The Royal Ballet][/b]'s director. Ashton held numerous accolades, appointed [i]Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire[/i] (CBE) in 1950, Knight Bachelor in 1962, and earning [i]Order of the Companions of Honour[/i] (CH) in 1970 and [i]Order of Merit[/i] (OM) in 1977.
