Norman Morrice (1931-2008). British dancer, choreographer and director

Norman Morrice was born to British parents in Mexico in 1931. He studied at Marie Rambert’s school and joined Ballet Rambert in 1953, becoming a principal dancer. In 1962, Morrice travelled to United States of America to learn about developments in modern dance, taking classes with Martha Graham. Upon his return to London, Morrice was instrumental in transforming Ballet Rambert in to a smaller ensemble that concentrated on producing new work using the developments he had encountered. It marked a shift in direction for Ballet Rambert and established the company in the guise we recognise today. Morrice became Rambert’s associate artistic director and brought in works by choreographers including Glen Tetley, performed amongst significant works from Rambert’s history, such as Antony Tudor’s Dark Elegies and Vaslav Nijinksy’s L’Après-midi d’une Faune. Morrice retired from Rambert in 1974, but from 1977 until 1986 he was artistic director of The Royal Ballet. From 1987 until 2000 Morrice was director of Choreographic Studies at The Royal Ballet School. He died in 2008.