People

History: Dance company founded by Marie Rambert. Until the 1960s, the company gave 1930 as the year of its foundation because that year saw the first performances of the Marie Rambert Dancers. With the change of direction in 1966, the company looked back at its choreographic history and changed the year of its creation to 1926, taking Ashton’s ‘A Tragedy of Fashion’ as its founding work. Therefore, four years of the Rambert School’s history (1926-1929) are included as part of the company’s history because programmes in these years credit ‘pupils of Madame Rambert’ and ‘Madame Rambert’s School of Dancing’, not a company.: :In 1931, Rambert’s husband Ashley Dukes partitioned the school’s premises, Horbury Hall in Notting Hill Gate, to create a small theatre. Together, they launched the Ballet Club, initially a private club so that performances could be held on Sundays when the dancers were free. In 1933, the theatre became licensed for public performances and was named the Mercury. When performing at the Mercury, the company was known as Ballet Club. When performing at other London theatres or elsewhere in the UK, the company was variously called Marie Rambert Dancers, The Rambert Ballet, and Ballet Rambert. First used in 1935, Ballet Rambert gradually became the official name. : :In 1940-41, the company was based at the Arts Theatre Club, London, along with Antony Tudor’s London Ballet. Ballet Rambert and London Ballet began to share personnel and resources so that over the course of the two years, their names became amalgamated. In late 1941, the dancers brought in Equity because Harold Rubins, who owned the Arts Theatre Club, did not pay them a living wage. In response, Rubins fired them. London Ballet folded, but Ballet Rambert took Rubins to court because he had leased the sets and costumes and refused to return them. Consequently, the company did not exist in 1942 while the court case ensued. : :In March 1943, the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts (C.E.M.A.) took over management of the re-launched Ballet Rambert. C.E.M.A. toured small ensembles of musicians and actors to armament factories in England and Wales, where they performed to workers during their breaks. With its repertoire created for the small stage of the Mercury, Ballet Rambert was ideal for this ‘home front’ work. Ballet Rambert now became a touring company. Soon, it was pioneering performances in ‘towns without theatres’, dancing for the general public in town halls, miners’ welfare halls, and other spaces. When World War II ended, Ballet Rambert toured Germany in early 1946 with E.N.S.A., performing for British soldiers stationed there. : :In 1947, the association with C.E.M.A., now called Arts Council of Great Britain, ended, and Ballet Rambert undertook a successful 15-month tour of Australia and New Zealand. Around half the dancers stayed in Australia, and so the diminished company was known as Ballet at Eight in its final season at the Mercury in 1949. Although the name soon reverted to Ballet Rambert, The Rambert Ballet was also used during the 1950s.: :In 1966, Ballet Rambert changed direction. It became a small ensemble focusing on contemporary works using a contemporary technique. The dancers were encouraged to choreograph. A resident orchestra, The Mercury Ensemble, was established. Norman Morrice became Artistic Director in 1970, succeeded by John Chesworth in 1974. : :Robert North was appointed Artistic Director in 1980, succeeded by Richard Alston in 1986. In 1987, Alston changed the name to Rambert Dance Company to reflect the contemporary repertoire. The company was without an artistic director in 1993, and The Mercury Ensemble folded. Christopher Bruce relaunched the company in 1994, with the London Musici as its associate orchestra (until 2009). Bruce remained artistic director until 2002, when Mark Baldwin took over. In August 2013, the company’s name became Rambert. Baldwin stepped down in 2018, succeeded by Benoit Swan Pouffer.

Performances as Ballet Club

Date ↿⇂	Dance Work ⇃⇂	Dance company	Venue ↿⇂
27 Nov 1932 Evening	''Desperate Blues''^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	''Fée Dragée'' from Aurora's Wedding	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	''Pas de Deux'' from Mr Roll's Military Quadrilles	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	''Russian Peasant''	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	''Valse'' from Les Sylphides	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Feb 1931 Evening	A Florentine Picture	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 May 1931 Evening	A Florentine Picture	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1931 Evening	A Florentine Picture	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Feb 1932 Evening	A Florentine Picture	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	A Florentine Picture	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
1 Jan 1933 Evening	A Florentine Picture	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Jan 1935 Evening	A Florentine Picture	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
3 Apr 1938 Evening	à La Polka	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
3 Apr 1938 Evening	à La Russe^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	Adagio from Lac des Cygnes	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Apr 1938 Evening	Alcina Suite	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jan 1938 Evening	American Sailor	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
9 Oct 1932 Evening	American Sailor (from 'Les Matelots')^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Jan 1935 Evening	American Sailor (from 'Les Matelots')	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
7 May 1933 Evening	Atalanta of the East^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Feb 1931 Evening	Aurora's Wedding	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Mar 1932 Evening	Aurora's Wedding	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
1 Jan 1933 Evening	Aurora's Wedding	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
15 May 1934 Evening	Bar aux Folies-Bergère^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
13 Jun 1934 Evening	Bar aux Folies-Bergère	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Jan 1935 Evening	Bar aux Folies-Bergère	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
7 Apr 1935 Evening	Bar aux Folies-Bergère	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
13 Feb 1938 Evening	Bar aux Folies-Bergère	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
2 Oct 1938 Evening	Bar aux Folies-Bergére	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
2 Oct 1938 Evening	Bohemian Dance (Smetana, 1877); Carillon, Tango and Scherzo (Martinu); Film en Miniature (Martinu, 1929)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 May 1931 Evening	Capriol Suite	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
28 Oct 1934 Evening	Capriol Suite	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Nov 1936 Evening	Capriol Suite	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Mar 1938 Evening	Capriol Suite	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
19 Mar 1939 Evening	Capriol Suite	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
22 Apr 1934 Evening	Carnaval	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Jan 1935 Evening	Cinderella^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
2 Oct 1938 Evening	Cinderella	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jun 1935 Evening	Circus Wings^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Feb 1932 Evening	Constanza's Lament^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Jan 1935 Evening	Constanza's Lament	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1931 Evening	Constanza's Lament (from ''The Good-humoured Ladies'')	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
13 Feb 1938 Evening	Croquis de ''Mercure'' (Sketches for ''Mercury'')^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
3 Apr 1938 Evening	Croquis de ''Mercure'' (Sketches for ''Mercury'')	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
14 Nov 1937 Evening	Cross Gartered^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
12 Nov 1931 Evening	Cross-Garter'd^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1931 Evening	Dances from ''Carnaval''	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1931 Evening	Dances from ''Cross-Garter'd''	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
19 Mar 1939 Evening	Dances from ''Lac des Cygnes''	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
10 Nov 1935 Evening	Dances from Aurora's Wedding	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Feb 1931 Evening	Dances from Carnaval	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1931 Evening	Dances on a Scottish Theme	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
24 Oct 1937 Evening	Death and the Maiden	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Mar 1938 Evening	Death and the Maiden	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
19 Mar 1939 Evening	Death and the Maiden	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
19 Mar 1939 Evening	Death and the Maiden	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jan 1938 Evening	Étrange^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
3 Apr 1938 Evening	Étrange	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Apr 1938 Evening	Étrange	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 May 1931 Evening	Façade^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Mar 1932 Evening	Façade	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
8 Nov 1936 Evening	Façade	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
9 Oct 1932 Evening	Foyer de Danse^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
1 Jan 1933 Evening	Foyer de Danse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
5 Mar 1933 Evening	Foyer de Danse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Oct 1933 Evening	Foyer de Danse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
28 Oct 1934 Evening	Foyer de Danse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jan 1938 Evening	Foyer de Danse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Mar 1938 Evening	Foyer de Danse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	Gavotte Sentimentale	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
28 Oct 1934 Evening	If Love's a Sweet Passion (Purcell)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
24 Oct 1937 Evening	Jardin aux Lilas	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	L'Après-midi d'un faune^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 May 1931 Evening	L'Après-midi d'un faune	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
9 Oct 1932 Evening	L'Après-midi d'un faune	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1933 Evening	L'Après-midi d'un faune	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
11 Oct 1934 Evening	La Belle Assemblée, a Ballet^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	La Belle Ecuyère^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
8 Nov 1936 Evening	La Muse s'Amuse^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Nov 1936 Evening	La Muse s'Amuse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
24 Oct 1937 Evening	La Muse s'Amuse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
14 Nov 1937 Evening	La Muse s'Amuse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
3 Apr 1938 Evening	La Muse s'Amuse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Apr 1938 Evening	La Muse s'Amuse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Feb 1931 Evening	La Péri^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 May 1931 Evening	La Péri	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Feb 1932 Evening	La Péri	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Apr 1938 Evening	La Péri	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1931 Evening	La Péri (The Flower of Immortality)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
7 Apr 1935 Evening	La Valse Chez Madame Récamier	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
12 Nov 1931 Evening	Lac des Cygnes	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
12 Nov 1931 Evening	Lady of Shalott^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Feb 1931 Evening	Le Boxing^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 May 1931 Evening	Le Boxing	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1933 Evening	Le Boxing	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Feb 1931 Evening	Le Cricket	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	Le Cricket	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
7 Apr 1935 Evening	Le Cricket	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1931 Evening	Le Lac des Cygnes	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Mar 1938 Evening	Le Péri^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1931 Evening	Le Rugby	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Feb 1932 Evening	Le Rugby	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
1 Jan 1933 Evening	Le Rugby	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
22 Apr 1934 Evening	Le Rugby	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Jan 1935 Evening	Le Rugby	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
9 Oct 1932 Evening	Le Spectre de la Rose	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	Le Spectre de la Rose	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
5 Mar 1933 Evening	Le Spectre de la Rose	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
5 Mar 1933 Evening	Les Masques (ou, Changement de Dames)^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
7 May 1933 Evening	Les Masques (ou, Changement de Dames)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1933 Evening	Les Masques (ou, Changement de Dames)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
15 May 1934 Evening	Les Masques (ou, Changement de Dames)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jun 1935 Evening	Les Masques (ou, Changement de Dames)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jan 1938 Evening	Les Masques (ou, Changement de Dames)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	Les Sylphides	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Feb 1932 Evening	Les Sylphides	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
7 May 1933 Evening	Les Sylphides	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Mar 1934 Evening	Les Sylphides	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
13 Feb 1938 Evening	Les Sylphides	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
5 Mar 1933 Evening	Lysistrata	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Mar 1934 Evening	Lysistrata	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Mar 1932 Evening	Lysistrata or The Strike of Wives^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	Mars and Venus	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Mar 1932 Evening	Mars and Venus	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	Mars and Venus	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	Mazurka des Hussars	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
1 Jan 1933 Evening	Menuet from ''Suite Bergamasque'' (Debussy)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
13 Jun 1934 Evening	Mephisto Valse^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
14 Nov 1937 Evening	Mephisto Valse	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
12 Nov 1931 Evening	Mercury	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
1 Jan 1933 Evening	Mercury	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Mar 1934 Evening	Mermaid^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
22 Apr 1934 Evening	Mermaid	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
15 May 1934 Evening	Mermaid	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
13 Jun 1934 Evening	Mermaid	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jun 1935 Evening	Mermaid	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Apr 1938 Evening	Mlle Fifi	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Feb 1932 Evening	Mr Roll's Military Quadrilles^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	Musical interlude	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Oct 1933 Evening	Our Lady's Juggler^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jan 1938 Evening	Our Lady's Juggler	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
22 Apr 1934 Evening	Paramour^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
19 Mar 1939 Evening	Paris-Soir^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
3 Apr 1938 Evening	Pas de Deux from Casse-Noisette	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Apr 1938 Evening	Pas de Deux from Casse-Noisette	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
8 Nov 1936 Evening	Passionate Pavane	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Nov 1936 Evening	Passionate Pavane	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
1 Jan 1933 Evening	Pavane pour une Infante Défunte^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
7 May 1933 Evening	Pavane pour une Infante Défunte^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Oct 1933 Evening	Pavane pour une Infante Défunte	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
24 Oct 1937 Evening	Pavane pour une Infante Défunte^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
14 Nov 1937 Evening	Pavane pour une Infante Défunte	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Feb 1932 Evening	Pompette^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	Pompette	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Jan 1935 Evening	Pompette	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Nov 1936 Evening	Pompette	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jan 1938 Evening	Pompette	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
9 Oct 1932 Evening	Prelude in B minor (Rachmaninov); Prelude in G major (Rachmaninov)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
1 Jan 1933 Evening	Prelude in D Major (Rachmaninoff); Prelude in G Sharp Minor (Rachmaninoff)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
31 Dec 1933 Evening	Récamier^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
13 Feb 1938 Evening	Ricordanza (Liszt)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Feb 1931 Evening	Russian Peasant Dance	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Feb 1931 Evening	Saudade do Brésil	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Feb 1932 Evening	Saudade do Brésil	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	Scherzo^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jan 1938 Evening	Soirée de Vienne, no. 6 (Schubert-Liszt)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	Spanish Dances: La Maja; Farucca; Malaguena; Rhapsodia Valenciana; Zapateado	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Mar 1938 Evening	Standchen (Strauss, arr. Walter Gieseking); Liebeslied (Kreisler, arr. Rachmaninoff)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
28 Oct 1934 Evening	The Alcina Suite (La Belle Assemblée from Vauxhall Gardens)^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Nov 1936 Evening	The American Sailor	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
20 Apr 1931 Evening	The Circus Girl^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
7 Apr 1935 Evening	The Descent of Hebe^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
24 Oct 1937 Evening	The Descent of Hebe	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
9 Oct 1932 Evening	The Garden	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
7 Apr 1935 Evening	The Lady of Shalott	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Feb 1931 Evening	The Mannequin and her Beau	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
19 Oct 1933 Evening	The Marriage of Hebe^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Oct 1933 Evening	The Marriage of Hebe	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
28 Oct 1934 Evening	The Planets^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
10 Nov 1935 Evening	The Planets	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
8 Nov 1936 Evening	The Planets	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Nov 1936 Evening	The Planets	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
14 Nov 1937 Evening	The Planets	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
10 Nov 1935 Evening	The Rape of the Lock^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Nov 1936 Evening	The Shepherd's Wooing	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
9 Oct 1932 Evening	The Shepherd's Wooing (from 'The Gods go a-begging')	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
27 Nov 1932 Evening	The Shepherd's Wooing (from 'The Gods go a-begging')	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
3 Apr 1938 Evening	The Strike of Wives (Lysistrata)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jan 1938 Evening	The Tartans^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
13 Feb 1938 Evening	The Tartans	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Mar 1938 Evening	The Tartans	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
4 Feb 1932 Evening	The Tartans (Dances on a Scottish Theme)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
9 Oct 1932 Evening	The Tartans (Dances on a Scottish Theme)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
6 Apr 1938 Evening	The Two Igors	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
16 Jan 1938 Evening	Trio (Lachrymae)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
2 Oct 1938 Evening	Trio (Lachrymae)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
29 Oct 1933 Evening	Valse (from Les Sylphides)	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London
2 Oct 1938 Evening	Valse Finale^*	Ballet Club	Mercury Theatre, London

Performance Database

Performances as Ballet Club

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