Andrée Howard (1910–1968). British dancer, choreographer and designer

Andrée Howard was born in London in 1910. She studied under Marie Rambert in London, and also in Paris, where she danced in Léonide Massine’s Les Présages. She was a founder member of Ballet Rambert in 1930, as a dancer and a choreographer, but it is for the latter that she is best known. She choreographed over 30 ballets during her career. Unfortunately, despite efforts at reconstruction since her death, very little of her work continues to be performed.

Howard’s first ballet for Rambert was Our Lady’s Juggler in 1933, and later creations included Death and the Maiden in 1937 and Lady into Fox in 1939. In 1939 Howard was invited to New York to choreograph for American Ballet Theatre’s inaugural season, for which in 1940 she staged and danced in both Death and the Maiden and Lady into Fox. Howard returned to London that same year and created her most famous ballet, La Fête étrange for the London Ballet. It subsequently received many performances, including revivals by The Royal Ballet in 1958 and 2002.

After 1940, Howard worked as a freelance choreographer, creating works for Ballet Rambert (including Sailor’s Return in 1947), Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet (including Assembly Ball for the company’s opening programme in 1946) and for the Sadler’s Wells Ballet at Covent Garden (including A Mirror for Witches in 1952 and Veneziana in 1953).
Andrée Howard died in London in 1968 from a drug overdose whilst suffering from depression.