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Frederick Ashton

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Choreographer

The Resume

    (September 17, 1904-August 18, 1988)
    Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador
    Ballet dancer and choreographer
    Succeeded Ninette de Valois as director of the Royal Ballet (1963-70)
    Choreographed ‘Façade’ (1931), ‘Les Rendezvous’ (1933), ‘Four Saints in Three Acts’ (1934), ‘Symphonic Variations’ (1946), ‘Cinderella’ (1948), ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (1955), ‘Ondine’ (1958), ‘La Fille Mal Gardee’ (1960), ‘Monotones’ (1965), ‘Enigma Variations’ (1968) and ‘Tales of Beatrix Potter’ (1970)
    Knighted for services to dance (1962)

Why he might be annoying:

    He noted about his parents’ opposition to his becoming a dancer, ‘My father was horrified…. My mother would say, ‘He wants to go on the stage.’ She could not bring herself to say, ‘into the ballet.’’
    He danced the part of one of the ugly stepsisters in his ballet of ‘Cinderella.’
    While dining at restaurants, he had the disconcerting habit of walking over to other tables and staring at diners whose behavior he found interesting.
    He and the Queen Mother would have ‘zonking martinis’ together after picnics at Sandringham.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He served as an intelligence officer with the Royal Air Force during World War II.
    He was named a member of the French Legion of Honor (1962).
    He was credited with developing a distinctive ‘English style’ of ballet.
    His works combine elegance with breathtaking technical demands.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 178 Votes: 47.19% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 74 Votes: 54.05% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying