Harry Haythorne (1926-2014). Australian dancer, teacher and director

Harry Haythorne was born in Adelaide, Australia, in 1926, and for an early age studied dance and tap. He began working with a vaudeville company in 1940, singing and dancing (including a routine combining tap dancing and roller skating). He joined the Royal Australian Air force towards the end of the World War Two, and on his discharge after two years began taking ballet classes. He came to London in 1949, and, after further study of ballet (including with Stanislas Idzikowski), he worked with the Metropolitan and International Ballets, as well as appearing in musicals, variety shows and on television. He became ballet master for Léonide Massine’s Les Ballets Europeens and for Walter Gore’s London Ballet. Peter Darrell engaged him as manager of Western Theatre Ballet, and then as assistant artistic director of Scottish Theatre Ballet.

Haythorne returned to Australia in 1975, and for three years was artistic director of the Queensland Ballet, during which time he mounted works by Australian choreographers, as well as by choreographers he had worked with in Britain. After founding a university-level course in dance in Australia in 1978, in 1981 he travelled to New Zealand to become artistic director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. There he staged major works with international artists as well as nurturing home grown talent.

Returning to Australia in 1993, Haythorne continued to teach and also to take part in performances with The Australian Ballet. He revived his tap and roller skate routine and, in 2001, received the Australian Dance Award for an Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer. Harry Haythorne was appointed an MBE in 1993 for his services to dance, and died in Melbourne in 2014.