1920 – Marie Rambert opens her school

Marie Rambert (1888-1982) was a dancer, choreographer, teacher and company founder and director born in Warsaw.  In 1910, she went to Geneva to study the eurhythmics of Emile Jacques-Dalcroze. She worked with Dalcroze for three years, including demonstrating his methods in St Petersburg, and taught at Dalcroze’s school, which had then moved to Dresden. Later, in 1913, she was asked to assist Vaslav Nijinsky with the creation of The Rite of Spring for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. She joined Diaghilev’s company, going on tour to South American in 1913. Inspired by the dancing of Tamara Karsavina, Rambert threw herself into ballet, studying under Enrico Cecchetti. During World War One, Rambert left Paris for London and studied under Serafina Astafieva. In 1917 she created her own ballet, La Pomme d’Or, in which she also danced. In 1918 Rambert married the playwright Ashley Dukes and became a British citizen. She opened her own studio, which became the Rambert School in 1920. Frederick Ashton was among its first pupils.