Ninette de Valois - Choreography

Choreography

Ninette de Valois first established herself as a choreographer producing several short ballets for the Old Vic Theatre, London. She also provided choreography for plays and operas at the theatre, all of which were performed by her own pupils. After forming the Vic-Wells ballet, her first major production, Job (1931), was the first ballet to define the future of the British ballet repertoire. Later employing Frederick Ashton as the company's first Principal Choreographer in 1935, they collaborated to produce a series of signature ballets, which are recognised as cornerstones of British ballet. These included her other famous works, The Rake’s Progress (1935) and Checkmate (1937).