David Ashmole (1949-2009). British dancer and teacher

David Ashmole was born in Cottingham on the outskirts of Hull in 1949. He came to The Royal Ballet School in 1965 and joined The Royal Ballet in 1965. He was made soloist in 1972 and principal in 1975. From 1976 until 1984, Ashmole worked with Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet. Regarded as an ideal danseur noble, Ashmole performed in the main classics and in many of Frederick Ashton’s major works. He created a major role in David Bintley’s The Swan of Tuonela.

From 1984 until 1994, Ashmole was a principal with The Australian Ballet. During this time Glen Tetley created his Orpheus on Ashmole, and he lectured at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. He also performed with distinction in Moscow, China, London and New York.

In 1999 Ashmole returned to London to teach ballet at the London Studio Centre (LSC). In 2003 he became assistant director to Margaret Barbieri at Images of Dance, the LSC’s graduate ballet company. He also taught for Birmingham Royal Ballet. David Ashmole died in London in 2009.