10 Things About Sir Frederick Ashton

1. Founding Choreographer of The Royal Ballet, Sir Frederick Ashton is celebrated for developing the distinctive “English style” of ballet. He created a vast body of work, many of which remain central to the repertoires of major ballet companies around the world.

2. Legendary Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova was Ashton’s first inspiration. He saw her perform in Lima, Peru, in 1917—where he was raised—and later recalled: “Seeing her at that stage was the end of me. She injected me with her poison, and from the end of that evening I wanted to dance.”

3. Ashton’s choreography places strong emphasis on épaulement—the nuanced angling of the head and shoulders, beginning at the waist—a signature element detectable throughout his work.

4. He began ballet training relatively late, taking weekly private lessons at around age 20, against his family’s wishes. Though he lacked classical technique, he displayed remarkable musicality and stage presence, traits that would become hallmarks of his choreography.

5. Ashton included a signature step in many of his ballets, affectionately known as “The Fred Step.” Believed to be a personal stamp, the step is said to be inspired by a movement Pavlova performed in 1917. The sequence typically consists of: Posé en arabesque, coupé dessous, small développé à la seconde, pas de bourrée dessous, and pas de chat.