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Marie RambertBritish ballet dancer of Polish origin, choreographer.
Date of Birth: 20.02.1888
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Marie Rambert
Born in 1888, Marie Rambert was a British ballet artist and ballet mistress of Polish origin. She began learning dance at an early age and was immediately captivated by it. Although she excelled in subjects like history and foreign languages, she was a restless child, which ultimately disappointed her parents.
Originally named Cyvia Rambam, Marie and her family changed their names for political reasons. Her father became Ramberg, one brother changed his name to Rambert, and another brother became Warsawski. Marie changed her name to Miriam Ramberg, and later shortened it to Marie Rambert. However, her friends and colleagues simply called her "Mim".
In 1917, Marie met her future husband, Ashley Dukes, at a formal dinner. At the time, Ashley was a soldier on leave. They got married on March 3, 1918, after four meetings and seven months of correspondence. Marie considered the marriage partly humorous because instead of the expected two-day leave, Ashley received a four-week vacation for their wedding. However, their marriage lasted for 41 years until Ashley's death in 1959. They had two daughters named Angela and Helena, often called Lulu.
Marie's passion for dance began at a young age. One of her mentors once said, "She had the true spirit of dance within her." Marie was particularly inspired by the renowned Isadora Duncan. However, her parents insisted she study medicine for stability in the politically unstable world. Nevertheless, Marie only dreamed of dancing. She had the opportunity to meet Isadora Duncan's brother at an event and impressed him with her performance of the mazurka, reigniting her passion for dance. She then took lessons from Madame Rat at the Paris Opera and later studied at the Dalcroze College. It was there that she caught the attention of Sergei Diaghilev, who invited her to join the Ballets Russes in Berlin. From 1912 to 1913, Marie danced with the Russian ballet, participating in performances such as "Swan Lake," "Giselle," and "Scheherazade."
After touring with Nijinsky and the Russian ballet, Marie's contract was not renewed, and she decided it was time for a new chapter in her life. In 1914, she moved to the United Kingdom and became a student of the famous Italian ballet dancer Enrico Cecchetti. Shortly after, Marie took her dance career seriously and began teaching, establishing her own ballet troupe in Bedford Gardens. In 1926, Rambert founded the "Ballet Club," which performed in London's nightclubs. She tirelessly sought talented dancers, choreographers, and artists, and her company soon became a strong ballet troupe known as "Ballet Rambert."
"Ballet Rambert" became the first official permanent ballet company in the United Kingdom. Marie Rambert continued to attract talented dancers, composers, and artists to her company. Most of their performances took place at the newly renovated Mercury Theatre, which was restored by Marie's husband, Ashley.
Marie Rambert played an active role in the creation of the national ballet. She is considered one of the key figures without whom the development of English ballet would have been impossible. Another influential figure in English ballet was Ninette de Valois, whom Marie had known since their time with Diaghilev's company.
Marie Rambert received numerous awards and honors throughout her life, including the Gold Medal of the Order of Merit from Poland, the Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
