Frederick Ashton

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