Marie Rambert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame Marie Rambert
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Marie Rambert in 1948
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Cyvia Rambam
20 February 1888 Warsaw, Congress Poland, Russian Empire
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| Died | 12 June 1982 (aged 94) |
| Nationality | Polish British |
| Occupation | Ballerina and dance pedagogue |
| Years active | 1912–1979 |
| Known for | Founder of Ballet Rambert, now Rambert Dance Company |
| Spouse(s) | Ashley Dukes (1918–1959; his death); 2 daughters |
Marie Rambert (born February 20, 1888 – died June 12, 1982) was an important dancer and teacher. She was born in Poland but became a British citizen. Marie Rambert had a huge impact on ballet in Britain. She helped create and shape the world of dance there.
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Early Life and Family
Marie Rambert was born in Warsaw, Poland, on February 20, 1888. Her birth name was Cyvia Rambam. Her family changed their last names to avoid military service. Cyvia changed her name several times. She finally settled on the French name, Marie Rambert. Friends and dancers often called her Mim.
Her father, Yakov Ramberg, was a smart merchant. He also published Hebrew books. Her mother, Eiga Ramberg, helped in their community. Marie was the fourth of seven children.
In 1917, Marie met Ashley Dukes, a soldier. They married on March 3, 1918. Their marriage lasted 41 years. They had two daughters, Angela and Helena.
Becoming a Dancer
Marie Rambert started dancing when she was very young. She was a restless child. Her teachers noticed her constant movement. One dance teacher said she had "the true spirit of dance." Marie was not very interested in ballet at first.
This changed when she saw Isadora Duncan perform. Marie was deeply moved by Duncan's beautiful dancing. This made her want to dance with passion.
In 1905, Marie moved to Paris. Her parents wanted her to study medicine. But she kept dancing. At a party, she danced a lively mazurka. Everyone applauded her performance. This was her first time performing for an audience.
At the same party, she met Raymond Duncan. He was Isadora Duncan's brother. He praised her dancing. This made her even more excited about dance. She studied with Madame Rat from the Paris Opera. Later, she studied with Émile Jaques-Dalcroze. He taught her about eurhythmics, which connects music and movement.
Working with Ballets Russes
One day, Sergei Diaghilev saw Marie dance. He invited her to study with him. He led the famous Ballets Russes company. Marie worked with them from 1912 to 1913. She helped them understand Igor Stravinsky's difficult music for The Rite of Spring. She worked closely with the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky.
Marie performed in ballets like Swan Lake and Giselle. After a tour, her contract with Ballets Russes ended. In 1914, she moved to the United Kingdom. There, she continued her dance training with Enrico Cecchetti.
Founding Ballet Rambert
After her training, Marie started teaching ballet classes. In 1919, she opened her own ballet school. In 1926, she created her own dance company. It was first called the Ballet Club. The company performed in London.
Marie found many new and talented dancers. She also found choreographers like Frederick Ashton. She gave them a chance to grow and create. Her company changed names many times. It was called Marie Rambert Dancers. Then it became Ballet Rambert. Today, it is known as Rambert. It is a famous contemporary dance company. It travels and performs all over the world.
Rambert's company was the first ballet company in Britain. Its first show was A Tragedy of Fashion in 1926. Marie's husband, Ashley Dukes, helped her. He turned a building into the Mercury Theatre. Most of Ballet Rambert's early shows were performed there.
Marie Rambert always looked for new choreographers. Many of her students became famous. These included Frederick Ashton and Antony Tudor. In 1965, Marie changed the company. She wanted it to focus more on modern dance. She worked with Norman Morrice on this.
Marie also helped bring back old ballets. In 1979, she worked to restore Nijinsky's original dance steps for The Rite of Spring. This restoration was finished in 1987.
Marie Rambert is known for making British ballet strong. Many people say she and Ninette de Valois (who started The Royal Ballet) created ballet in Britain.
Honours and Legacy
Marie Rambert received many awards for her work.
- In 1957, she became a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur in France.
- Also in 1957, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award.
- In 1962, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. This is a very high honour in Britain.
- In 1979, she received the Gold Medal of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
Marie Rambert died on June 12, 1982. Her legacy lives on through the Rambert Dance Company. She helped shape the world of dance for many generations.
See also
In Spanish: Marie Rambert para niños
